tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16281726018869290982024-03-18T18:11:18.789-04:00Perdido Street SchoolA Blog About Public Education, Politics and Schoolsreality-based educatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01712885202661371924noreply@blogger.comBlogger6967125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628172601886929098.post-20941850491274911032017-03-16T16:26:00.002-04:002017-03-16T16:26:33.747-04:00De Blasio Avoids Criminal Charges<a href="http://www.politico.com/states/new-york/city-hall/story/2017/03/prosecutors-decline-to-charge-de-blasio-aides-in-fundraising-probes-110427" target="_blank">Politico NY:</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Mayor Bill de Blasio and his aides will not face criminal charges for
their role in soliciting donations for the mayor's campaign and an
affiliated nonprofit group, prosecutors announced on Thursday morning.<br />
<br />
In separate statements, the Manhattan district attorney's office and
the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District announced they had concluded
their months-long investigations into whether the mayor or his aides
had acted illegally in soliciting donations and providing special access
to donors who gave to de Blasio or his nonprofit group, the Campaign
for One New York</blockquote>
<br />
This all be assures that de Blasio will win re-election in November:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Bradley Tusk, a former aide to Michael Bloomberg who has publicly
encouraged Democrats to challenge de Blasio, said the mayor is now
likely to coast to re-election.<br />
<br />
"Although the city deserves far better than this, the people best
positioned to succeed in a Democratic primary are now unlikely to run,
and we should therefore expect four more years of Bill de Blasio," Tusk
said in a statement.</blockquote>
<br />
If Tusk is throwing in the towel against de Blasio, well, that's a pretty good sign de Blasio's re-election is all but a done deal. <br />
<br />reality-based educatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01712885202661371924noreply@blogger.com436tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628172601886929098.post-65471105330884438702017-02-24T08:50:00.001-05:002017-02-24T08:50:46.223-05:00De Blasio To Be Questioned Today By Federal Prosecutors In Corruption ProbeToday's the day:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
Reporters outside loading dock of Manhattan building where federal corruption probers are reportedly set to question <a href="https://twitter.com/NYCMayor">@NYCMayor</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/BilldeBlasio">@BilldeBlasio</a> <a href="https://t.co/uka0RfRGwG">pic.twitter.com/uka0RfRGwG</a></div>
— Matthew Chayes (@chayesmatthew) <a href="https://twitter.com/chayesmatthew/status/835113897422110720">February 24, 2017</a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
the tabloids appear to be relishing Mayor de Blasio's reported plan to meet with federal prosecutors today <a href="https://t.co/fIY0tYr9Ek">pic.twitter.com/fIY0tYr9Ek</a></div>
— Colin Campbell (@colincampbell) <a href="https://twitter.com/colincampbell/status/835079721968943104">February 24, 2017</a></blockquote>
<br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/23/nyregion/new-york-mayor-bill-de-blasio.html?hpw&rref=nyregion&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=well-region&region=bottom-well&WT.nav=bottom-well" target="_blank">The NY Times sets the stage: </a><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="263" data-total-count="263">
Ending months of anticipation and speculation, Mayor <a class="meta-per" href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/d/bill_de_blasio/index.html?inline=nyt-per" title="More articles about Bill De Blasio.">Bill de Blasio</a> will meet on Friday with federal prosecutors and <a class="meta-org" href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/f/federal_bureau_of_investigation/index.html?inline=nyt-org" title="More articles about the Federal Bureau of Investigation.">F.B.I.</a>
agents who have been investigating the mayor’s campaign fund-raising
for nearly a year, according to people with knowledge of the matter.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="263" data-total-count="263">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="462" data-total-count="725">
A
grand jury has heard evidence in the case, some of the people have
said, but it remains unclear whether the investigation, focused on
whether the mayor or others in his administration traded beneficial city
action for donations to his 2013 election campaign or to his
now-defunct nonprofit political group — or both — will result in
charges. Either way, the interview is an indication that the expansive
criminal inquiry is most likely in its final stages.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="462" data-total-count="725">
<br /></div>
...<br />
<br />
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="330" data-total-count="3320">
The
mayor is expected to be questioned on Friday morning in a conference
room at Kramer Levin’s offices in Midtown Manhattan, according to the
people with knowledge of the planned session, which they said is
expected to last about four hours. The prosecutors and agents want to
question the mayor about more than a dozen topics.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="330" data-total-count="3320">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="342" data-total-count="3662">
In
addition to investigating whether the city took any action on behalf of
Mr. Indig as a result of his support for the mayor, the prosecutors and
agents are also likely to focus on a number of other donors who have <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/19/nyregion/bill-de-blasio-donors.html">come under scrutiny</a>, including two who have been of intense interest to prosecutors. They are Harendra Singh and Gina Argento.</div>
</blockquote>
<br />
The Times also has a bit a "new" news:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
In recent weeks, investigators appear to have focused on a relatively
new area in the inquiry, looking into the mayor’s relationship with a
Brooklyn businessman who hosted a fund-raiser for him in October 2013,
after the Democratic primary but before the general election, according
to two of the people. Like others interviewed for this article, they
declined to comment because they were not authorized to discuss the
continuing investigation.<br />
<br />
In recent weeks, investigators appear to have focused on a relatively
new area in the inquiry, looking into the mayor’s relationship with a
Brooklyn businessman who hosted a fund-raiser for him in October 2013,
after the Democratic primary but before the general election, according
to two of the people. Like others interviewed for this article, they
declined to comment because they were not authorized to discuss the
continuing investigation.</blockquote>
<br />
Louis Flores on what may be going on here:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="fr">
Friday’s tête-à-tête btwn de Blasio and Preet's prosecutors is "a proffer session" <a href="https://t.co/K2RAyPUBrV">https://t.co/K2RAyPUBrV</a></div>
— Louis Flores (@maslowsneeds) <a href="https://twitter.com/maslowsneeds/status/835087912693870597">February 24, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
Proffer or "queen for a day" letters are written agreements between federal prosecutors and individuals under criminal investigation.... <a href="https://t.co/VWsXYzndHn">pic.twitter.com/VWsXYzndHn</a></div>
— Louis Flores (@maslowsneeds) <a href="https://twitter.com/maslowsneeds/status/835088175596978180">February 24, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
de Blasio’s aides fear he will ‘sacrifice’ them to the Feds <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/profferagreement?src=hash">#profferagreement</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nonprosecutionagreement?src=hash">#nonprosecutionagreement</a> <a href="https://t.co/DtF49LcJmN">https://t.co/DtF49LcJmN</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Preet?src=hash">#Preet</a></div>
— Louis Flores (@maslowsneeds) <a href="https://twitter.com/maslowsneeds/status/835088863274102784">February 24, 2017</a></blockquote>
<br />
You can bet Hakeem Jeffries, Scott Stringer, Ruben Diaz Jr and other potential challengers are watching what happens today and ensuing days closely.<br />
<br />
So far, no serious challenger to the embattled de Blasio has emerged but clearly an indictment of de Blasio on corruption charges will set off a free-for-all in the Dem primary.<br />
<br />
It's difficult to say what indictments of current and/or former aides do to de Blasio's 2017 re-election chances - it all depends on how much residual damage is done to de Blasio if/when that happens.<br />
<br />
De Blasio has led a bit of a charmed life these past few months, having much of the news around the corruption investigations buried under an avalanche of Trump news while de Blasio attempted to become the local face of opposition to Trump's policies on immigration, health care, etc.<br />
<br />
Other pols - including Governor Cuomo - have attempted similar anti-Trump PR efforts recently (see <a href="https://twitter.com/Healing_Touch_/status/834453445558095877" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/JonCampbellGAN/status/829038349188988930" target="_blank">here</a>, for example.)<br />
<br />
Both Cuomo and de Blasio are using the Trump election for their own ends of course (Cuomo as rationale for 2020 White House run, de Blasio as rallying cry and distraction from his corruption woes), but in another way the Trump election has helped de Blasio out - it's given Cuomo something else to shoot for instead of de Blasio himself.<br />
<br />
For the last few years Cuomo has spent much of his free time looking for ways to torture de Blasio, including looking for potential challengers to the mayor for 2017, but with the Trump administration ensconced in Washington, Cuomo appears to have lost his relish for de Blasio combat and begun setting his sights on a 2020 run instead.<br />
<br />
As a result, <a href="http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2017/02/barring-indictment-de-blasio-looks-like.html" target="_blank">de Blasio appears to have a pretty easy time of it in his re-election bid</a> - barring criminal charges and/or residual damage some to him by criminal charges on people around him that is.<br />
<br />
But that could all change today.<br />
<br />
We'll know soon enough. <br />
<br />
As the Times reported, the questioning of de Blasio today means the investigation is about to come to a close. <br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>reality-based educatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01712885202661371924noreply@blogger.com49tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628172601886929098.post-16390344178855504682017-02-21T15:26:00.002-05:002017-02-21T16:18:37.734-05:00Barring Indictment, De Blasio Looks Like He'll Get A Fairly Easy Run At Re-ElectionTwo pieces of New York City mayoral race news today.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.politico.com/states/new-york/city-hall/story/2017/02/jeffries-rules-out-mayoral-run-as-garodnick-tests-waters-109743" target="_blank">First, as expected, Hakeem Jeffries declined to run against de Blasio:</a><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, a Brooklyn Democrat, said Tuesday he will not
run for mayor of New York City — leaving one less potential challenger
for Mayor Bill de Blasio as he faces re-election later this year. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"The stakes are so high in Washington D.C. right now, and I want to
be part of the effort to turn the situation around," Jeffries said in an
interview. "It would be a dereliction of duty to abandon ship at the
moment when times are tough."<br />
<br />
...<br />
<br />
Jeffries said de Blasio has benefited from the election of President
Donald Trump, and the palpable anger and fear in New York City toward
the president. More than 80 percent of the city's voters voted against
Trump, and de Blasio has positioned himself in the city as standing up
to Trump on immigration and other issues.<br />
<br />
"The phenomenon has benefited the mayor because it's taken a lot of attention off of City Hall," Jeffries said.<br />
<br />
Jeffries said "top-tier candidates" are still looking to the investigations to see if they "potentially change the dynamic."<br />
<br />
"It's not clear to me that there's a meaningful candidate prepared to step forward at the moment," he said. </blockquote>
<br />
Next up, GOP hopeful/real estate developer Paul Massey had a press conference today that, well, let's just say didn't go so well. Here's a play-by-play in tweets:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
Republican mayoral candidate Paul Massey holds press conference at City Hall, criticizing Mayor de Blasio for "unprecedented" corruption <a href="https://t.co/A7Pt14m5AZ">pic.twitter.com/A7Pt14m5AZ</a></div>
— Samar Khurshid (@samarkhurshid) <a href="https://twitter.com/samarkhurshid/status/834076188972838913">February 21, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
New York GOP mayoral candidate Paul Massey declines to offer policy specifics in first campaign event. Hello 2017 <a href="https://t.co/JvTAzUmfqG">https://t.co/JvTAzUmfqG</a></div>
— Mara Gay (@MaraGay) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaraGay/status/834127720904798209">February 21, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
"We'll make it different almost immediately," Massey says when <a href="https://twitter.com/chayesmatthew">@chayesmatthew</a> presses him for details on his homelessness plan</div>
— Mara Gay (@MaraGay) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaraGay/status/834077890832658432">February 21, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
"I haven't established an answer," Paul Massey says when Bloomberg's <a href="https://twitter.com/hgoldman77">@hgoldman77</a> asks if he supports expanding stop and frisk like Trump</div>
— Mara Gay (@MaraGay) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaraGay/status/834078802309414914">February 21, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
Less than 9 months to Election Day, it's surprising that <a href="https://twitter.com/MasseyForMayor">@MasseyForMayor</a> hasn't identified a position on this core criminal justice issue. <a href="https://t.co/GjSmbIljIF">https://t.co/GjSmbIljIF</a></div>
— Dean Chang (@dchangnyt) <a href="https://twitter.com/dchangnyt/status/834083715353571329">February 21, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/HyersBill">@HyersBill</a> Was on life support anyway since GOP real estate developer not great candidate for Trump Era. But yikes!</div>
— rbe (@perdidostschool) <a href="https://twitter.com/perdidostschool/status/834108519234289668">February 21, 2017</a></blockquote>
<br />
And so, we appear to have two potential challengers to de Blasio taken out of the equation in one day.<br />
<br />
It's been rumored for a while now that Jeffries, who has been elevated into the Democratic leadership in the House, was going to decline to run for mayor, so that announcement wasn't much of a surprise.<br />
<br />
But the Massey presser, well, that was a bit of a surprise to me.<br />
<br />
Given that we're now in the Trump Era, it was going to be a heavy lift for Massey, a Republican real estate developer, to win post November 2016, but to be honest, I always assumed he was a bit more serious as a candidate than what showed up today. How could he not have an answer for the stop-and-frisk issue?<br />
<br />
You can see <a href="https://www.facebook.com/masseyformayor/videos/242554129483697/" target="_blank">the whole Massey presser here at his Facebook page</a> - assuming they don't take it down to try and undo some of the damage.<br />
<br />
Go on and watch it and you tell me if he's somebody who can win a mayor's race in NYC during the Trump Era - from what I see so far, it's unlikely.<br />
<br />
As for other potential opponents, Scott Stringer has apparently all but ruled out a run (barring something extraordinary coming from the Southern District of New York on de Blasio) and the air around Ruben Diaz Jr. has grown awfully quiet on that front as well.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://nypost.com/2017/01/17/de-blasios-biggest-campaign-donors-are-celebs-ex-staffers/" target="_blank">That leaves this guy who raised $750 last quarter</a> and left the mainstream Democratic conference in the state Senate to join the breakaway, Republican-allied Independent Democratic Conference, <a href="https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20170204/jackson-heights/jose-peralta-idc-jackson-heights-state-senate" target="_blank">a group of faux Dems growing increasingly unpopular in the Trump Era:</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUEfNbxBMB4ttS5BP_UkujhXp2NnmVLhw0jIaz5M2vefyBuigA7PbDs4ThEW7dvgrxRH0ib1SySpaAeUgooYFcIZ5PMGsjK03ER3KfZ_gGg1shx1w9npuvhbniYU1I2YXHLOjhXk60eyv7/s1600/bill-ban-weapons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUEfNbxBMB4ttS5BP_UkujhXp2NnmVLhw0jIaz5M2vefyBuigA7PbDs4ThEW7dvgrxRH0ib1SySpaAeUgooYFcIZ5PMGsjK03ER3KfZ_gGg1shx1w9npuvhbniYU1I2YXHLOjhXk60eyv7/s320/bill-ban-weapons.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="http://www.politico.com/states/new-york/city-hall/story/2017/02/jeffries-rules-out-mayoral-run-as-garodnick-tests-waters-109743" target="_blank">And maybe this guy:</a><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
Councilman Dan Garodnick, a Manhattan Democrat who lost his bid to
become the City Council Speaker in 2014, has talked with donors,
consultants and others about running for mayor. Garodnick has told these
people he would want a one-on-one race with de Blasio and would be
interested if he saw a path, but isn't sure if there is one. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Asked about the conversations, Garodnick declined to comment. "I am
exploring my options as I am term-limited," he said. Garodnick had <a href="http://rew-online.com/2016/02/04/garodnick-not-running-for-mayor-in-2017/" target="_blank">previously denied </a>he was considering a mayoral run.</blockquote>
<br />
Oh, and an ex-Jet with about as much chance of <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/michel-faulkner-announces-2017-challenge-mayor-de-blasio-article-1.2744861" target="_blank">winning City Hall as the Jets had of winning the Super Bowl last year.</a><br />
<br />
And there was that rumor about Hillary Clinton maybe running for mayor, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/07/opinions/is-hillary-clinton-nyc-mayor-crazy-talk-louis/" target="_blank">but that's pretty much bullshit</a>.<br />
<br />
None of this is going to matter in a race against de Blasio where he has managed to make labor peace with the cops, other unions (including the UFT) have endorsed him, and he continues to enjoy popular support in the black community.<br />
<br />
So from what I can see, the biggest opponent de Blasio appears to have for re-election right now is U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2016/12/uft-would-be-foolish-to-announce.html" target="_blank">No wonder the UFT jumped aboard the de Blasio Express when they did. </a><br />
<br />
Barring something coming from Bharara, it looks like de Blasio is going to waltz to November relatively unscathed.<br />
<br />
Somewhere Bradley Tusk weeps. <br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
</blockquote>
reality-based educatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01712885202661371924noreply@blogger.com45tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628172601886929098.post-58943870331083368282017-01-22T11:33:00.001-05:002017-01-22T17:52:01.749-05:00If This Was What Day One Of The Trump Administration Was Like...Joe Scarborough, GOP shill and Trump bootlicker, on how Day One of the Trump administration went:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
The Trump Administration's 1st day was deeply troubling to intel agents, journalists and allies. For the sake of all, Day 2 must be better.</div>
— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeNBC/status/823174545368641536">January 22, 2017</a></blockquote>
<br />
Here was the "failing" New York Times (as Trump likes to term it) on how Day One went in a piece entitled <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/21/us/politics/trump-white-house-briefing-inauguration-crowd-size.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=a-lede-package-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0" target="_blank"><b>With False Claims, Trump Attacks Media on Turnout and Intelligence Rift:</b></a> <br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="291" data-total-count="291">
WASHINGTON
— President Trump used his first full day in office on Saturday to
unleash a remarkably bitter attack on the news media, falsely accusing
journalists of both inventing a rift between him and intelligence
agencies and deliberately understating the size of his inauguration
crowd.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="291" data-total-count="291">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="254" data-total-count="545">
In a visit to the <a class="meta-org" href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/c/central_intelligence_agency/index.html?inline=nyt-org" title="More articles about the Central Intelligence Agency.">Central Intelligence Agency</a>
intended to showcase his support for the intelligence community, Mr.
Trump ignored his own repeated public statements criticizing the
intelligence community, a group he compared to Nazis just over a week
ago.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="254" data-total-count="545">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="189" data-total-count="734">
He
also called journalists “among the most dishonest human beings on
earth,” and he said that up to 1.5 million people had attended his
inauguration, a claim that photographs disproved.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="189" data-total-count="734">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="187" data-total-count="921">
Later,
at the White House, he dispatched Sean Spicer, the press secretary, to
the briefing room in the West Wing, where Mr. Spicer scolded reporters
and made a series of false statements.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="187" data-total-count="921">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="268" data-total-count="1189" id="story-continues-1">
He
said news organizations had deliberately misstated the size of the
crowd at Mr. Trump’s inauguration on Friday in an attempt to sow
divisions at a time when Mr. Trump was trying to unify the country,
warning that the new administration would hold them to account.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="268" data-total-count="1189" id="story-continues-1">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="268" data-total-count="1189" id="story-continues-1">
The statements from the new president and his spokesman came as <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/21/us/women-march-protest-president-trump.html">hundreds of thousands of people protested against Mr. Trump</a>, a crowd that <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/01/22/us/politics/womens-march-trump-crowd-estimates.html" title="Photographs and estimates by crowd scientists.">appeared to dwarf</a>
the one that gathered the day before when he was sworn in. It was a
striking display of invective and grievance at the dawn of a presidency,
usually a time when the White House works to set a tone of national
unity and to build confidence in a new leader.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="268" data-total-count="1189" id="story-continues-1">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="268" data-total-count="1189" id="story-continues-1">
Instead, the president and his team appeared embattled and defensive,
signaling that the pugnacious style Mr. Trump employed as a candidate
will persist now that he has ascended to the nation’s highest office.</div>
</blockquote>
<br />
Here's what Day One looked like on the Washington Mall as hundreds of thousands protested Trump as part of the Women's March :<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
Overhead shot in Washington, D.C. shows massive crowds in every direction rallying for Women's March on Washington <a href="https://t.co/o3Al1Fo3N4">https://t.co/o3Al1Fo3N4</a> <a href="https://t.co/3MxtAbOTDD">pic.twitter.com/3MxtAbOTDD</a></div>
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABCPolitics/status/822919696592814080">January 21, 2017</a></blockquote>
<br />
Millions across the country (and the world) took to the streets in similar protests:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
NYC today. 42nd and 2nd. <a href="https://t.co/vgiLljt7Bs">pic.twitter.com/vgiLljt7Bs</a></div>
— Soledad O'Brien (@soledadobrien) <a href="https://twitter.com/soledadobrien/status/822900015416954885">January 21, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
An aerial view of the Chicago <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WomensMarch?src=hash">#WomensMarch</a> right now (+150k people). <a href="https://t.co/0OufEmSWU2">pic.twitter.com/0OufEmSWU2</a></div>
— Zach Stafford (@ZachStafford) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZachStafford/status/822852918009360384">January 21, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
This is happening at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WomensMarch?src=hash">#WomensMarch</a> in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Denver?src=hash">#Denver</a>. Media can air the prayer farce all they want. You won't ignore us! <a href="https://t.co/2CBPAZc7mK">pic.twitter.com/2CBPAZc7mK</a></div>
— sammyemerson (@sammyemerson) <a href="https://twitter.com/sammyemerson/status/822846256615747584">January 21, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
We’re in a helicopter high over the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WomensMarch?src=hash">#WomensMarch</a> in Boston. Watch on Facebook Live <a href="https://t.co/6UvxfnW14A">https://t.co/6UvxfnW14A</a> <a href="https://t.co/HPZgpX9ihL">pic.twitter.com/HPZgpX9ihL</a></div>
— CNN (@CNN) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNN/status/822847695631040532">January 21, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
Thank you Los Angeles for marching (and standing 😉) today. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HearOurVoice?src=hash">#HearOurVoice</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WomensMarchLA?src=hash">#WomensMarchLA</a> <a href="https://t.co/eSDrJ65Kq5">pic.twitter.com/eSDrJ65Kq5</a></div>
— Women's March LA (@wmnsmarchla) <a href="https://twitter.com/wmnsmarchla/status/822960696807723008">January 22, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
Blown away by the crowd sizes <a href="https://t.co/RMy9ksWVJN">https://t.co/RMy9ksWVJN</a></div>
— Andrew Fishman (@AndrewDFish) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewDFish/status/823189611765788673">January 22, 2017</a></blockquote>
<br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="268" data-total-count="1189" id="story-continues-1">
Day Two picked up where Day One left off, with embattled Trump shills still spewing lies, propaganda and horseshit:<br />
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
"Alternative facts are not facts. They are falsehoods," Chuck Todd tells Pres. Trump's counselor Kellyanne Conway this morning. WATCH: <a href="https://t.co/Ao005dQ13r">pic.twitter.com/Ao005dQ13r</a></div>
— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) <a href="https://twitter.com/MeetThePress/status/823184384559878144">January 22, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="268" data-total-count="1189" id="story-continues-1">
<br />
If this is how the beginning of the Trump administration is going, imagine what will happen when there is a real crisis to handle?<br />
<br />
Some are worried that Trump has rendered truth and facts moot, that he has inaugurated a post-truth society wherein his deplorables will always believe him over their lying eyes and continue to go to the mattresses to protect him:<br />
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
Re Spicer's lies, this is from someone who worked in a past administration. Important read. <a href="https://t.co/XrjLJHRAGL">pic.twitter.com/XrjLJHRAGL</a></div>
— Anna Rascouët-Paz (@rascouet) <a href="https://twitter.com/rascouet/status/823035518313267202">January 22, 2017</a></blockquote>
<br />
There's something to this, of course, but Trump is beyond the campaign now and while there will be a certain percentage of deplorables who stick with him no matter what, there is a level of incompetence and insanity going on here that anybody who isn't completely incompetent and/or insane themselves will eventually see (if they haven't already.)<br />
<br />
It's clear from yesterday that Trump is in way over his head, that he is incapable of growing into the job and that he is going to govern abysmally.<br />
<br />
It is also clear from yesterday that A) the opposition to Trump is large and growing and B) many in the media are not going to take bullshit from the Trumpsters lying down without calling them on it.<br />
<br />
Conservatives and wingers want Trump to get on with the job of gutting the government - but the fatal flaws in Trump's character may be the best defense against that:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/RMConservative">@RMConservative</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ShannonJoyRadio">@ShannonJoyRadio</a> You understand that w/ Trump, that's what he cares most, yes? Crowd size, ratings, etc</div>
— rbe (@perdidostschool) <a href="https://twitter.com/perdidostschool/status/823204685393887232">January 22, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/RMConservative">@RMConservative</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ShannonJoyRadio">@ShannonJoyRadio</a> If you supported DT, you will own the insanity of next 4 yrs. Yesterday was a preview.</div>
— rbe (@perdidostschool) <a href="https://twitter.com/perdidostschool/status/823204849340870656">January 22, 2017</a></blockquote>
<br />
In sum, Benjamin Dixon on how best to combat Trump:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
The easiest path to Trump's self-destruction is his ego. <a href="https://t.co/7KdjbsEcvP">https://t.co/7KdjbsEcvP</a></div>
— Benjamin Dixon 🌹 (@TheBpDShow) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheBpDShow/status/823203325998956544">January 22, 2017</a></blockquote>
And would add: <br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
This ridiculous whining by Trump and Sean Spicer is a pretty clear sign the pressure is working. Keep it up, everyone.</div>
— Matthew Miller (@matthewamiller) <a href="https://twitter.com/matthewamiller/status/822939057919586304">January 21, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script> <br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>reality-based educatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01712885202661371924noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628172601886929098.post-75740018559572804982016-12-17T10:04:00.000-05:002016-12-17T10:14:09.847-05:00UFT Would Be Foolish To Announce Endorsement Of De Blasio Right Now<a href="http://iceuftblog.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2016-12-09T17:13:00-05:00">James Eterno wrote</a> back in early December that UFT President Michael Mulgrew has hinted a UFT endorsement of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is coming soon. <br />
<br />
Mulgrew's reasoning?<br />
<br />
Other unions have already announced early endorsements of de Blasio, there will be a corporate-funded general election candidate who will look to run against public education and the teachers union, and de Blasio settled all the outstanding contracts with the municipal unions that Bloomberg refused to settle in his third term.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.politico.com/states/new-york/city-hall/story/2016/12/weingarten-to-hold-fundraiser-for-de-blasios-re-election-bid-108153">Since that Mulgrew hint, we also learned that AFT President Randi Weingarten will hold a fundraiser for de Blasio in January:</a><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, will hold a fundraiser for Mayor Bill de Blasio’s re-election campaign in January, according to a copy of the invitation obtained by POLITICO New York.<br />
<br />
The fundraiser will be held at AFT headquarters in Washington on January 5. Guest tickets are $1,000 a head, “supporter” tickets are $2,500, and “host” tickets are $4,950.<br />
<br />
The event will be co-hosted by the lobbyist Harold Ickes, a friend
and mentor to de Blasio who has enjoyed lobbying successes under de
Blasio’s tenure. Ickes’ lobbying partner, Janice Enright, will also
co-host the fundraiser. John Stocks, the director of the National
Education Association, the nation’s other most prominent teachers union,
is on the host committee for the event.<br />
<br />
The event comes as de Blasio begins to gather endorsements from the
city’s most prominent unions — both the Uniformed Sanitationmen’s
Association and the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store union have
given the mayor their early endorsements. But de Blasio has not yet won
the endorsement of the United Federation of Teachers, the largest and
most powerful branch of the AFT, representing teachers in New York City.<br />
<br />
Weingarten’s upcoming fundraiser could add to pressure for UFT
president Michael Mulgrew to give the mayor his union’s endorsement
soon. </blockquote>
<br />
Now those of you who are close Randi/Mulgrew watchers know there is no daylight between either, so it's doubtful that the Weingarten fundraiser is "pressure" coming from Randi onto Mulgrew to endorse de Blasio early as opposed to another part of a multi-pronged strategy to get on board the de Blasio express early and prove loyalty to the mayor (especially necessary since the UFT worked against de Blasio in the primary last time around.)<br />
<br />
That strategy might make some sense if de Blasio was a powerful incumbent with a proven track record of helping teachers and public schools, but <a href="http://iceuftblog.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2016-12-09T17:13:00-05:00">as James wrote in his piece on the likely UFT endorsement, the case for that is slim:</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
In the school system I work in, teachers and other UFT members feel
almost like they are under siege on a daily basis in multiple schools.
Many of us fear drive by Danielson observations by abusive
administrators, being rated based on student test scores in schools
where the students are not exactly well prepared, overburdened paperwork
demands made by those abusive principals and their assistants, the war
on seniority with (un)fair student funding which makes senior teachers a
burden on school budgets and much, much more.<br />
<br />
Our job has been turned into a nightmare in many school buildings. In
spite of the working conditions deteriorating to the point where a large
number of teachers cannot physically or emotionally take it much
longer, our Union President's response is hinting that we want more of
the same.</blockquote>
<br />
Add in the de Blasio contract that holds back pay to 2020 (but only if you're still in the system!) and gives yearly increase averages of just over 1% and gee, what's not to like about endorsing de Blasio early, given all that wonderful stuff?<br />
<br />
Well, how about the news that <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/15/nyregion/bill-de-blasio-investigation.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0">de Blasio is the subject of two grand jury investigations</a> and criminal charges are likely to come against some of his cronies (and perhaps even de Blasio himself)?<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Two
separate grand juries in Manhattan have begun hearing testimony in
connection with federal and state criminal investigations into Mayor <a class="meta-per" href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/d/bill_de_blasio/index.html?inline=nyt-per" title="More articles about Bill De Blasio.">Bill de Blasio</a>’s campaign fund-raising, according to several people with knowledge of the matters.<br />
<br />
It
was unclear whether either inquiry would result in criminal charges
against the mayor, but the grand jury activity appeared to be the
strongest indication since the investigations came to light in April
that prosecutors may be moving closer to one or more indictments,
possibly against some of Mr. de Blasio’s closest aides.<br />
<br />
The
inquiries have centered on Mr. de Blasio, a Democrat, and several of
his senior aides, according to the people with knowledge of the matter,
all of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity because grand jury
proceedings are secret.<br />
<br />
The state investigation has focused on whether the mayor, or those acting with him or on his behalf, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/23/nyregion/de-blasio-team-violated-campaign-finance-laws-report-says.html">violated state election law</a>
by raising hundreds of thousands of dollars through three upstate
county committees and funneling it to Democratic candidates during the
party’s unsuccessful 2014 bid to gain control of the State Senate.<br />
<br />
The
questions asked by state prosecutors in their grand jury presentations
suggest their inquiry is in some measure centered on Emma Wolfe, Mr. de
Blasio’s top political aide, Ross A. Offinger, who was then his campaign
finance director, and Josh Gold, a union political operative who worked
on the 2014 Senate effort, the people with knowledge of the inquiry
said.<br />
<br />
The
federal investigation has examined whether Mr. de Blasio or his aides
took beneficial action on behalf of donors in exchange for contributions
they had made to his 2013 mayoral campaign, his political nonprofit or
both in roughly a half-dozen instances, according to people with
knowledge of that inquiry.</blockquote>
<br />
<a href="http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2016/12/looks-like-criminal-charges-are-coming.html">As I wrote Thursday</a>, this leak came straight out of publicity-happy US Attorney Preet Bharara's office and Preet doesn't leak this kind of stuff without criminal charges following soon.<br />
<br />
That's how it played out with Shelly Silver, Dean and Adam Skelos and Cuomo's cronies Joe Percoco and Alain Kaloyeros - there's no reason to think it won't play out the same way here. <br />
<br />
With criminal charges all but certain against somebody linked to de Blasio and with the NYC media already having an adversarial relationship with the churlish de Blasio, you can bet he's going to get hammered day after day after day in the newspapers and on TV, further weakening an already weak incumbent (polls consistently show de Blasio is underwater on the "Deserves Re-Election" question.)<br />
<br />
Now I can understand why the UFT would look to finagle an early endorsement of de Blasio despite his administration showing itself to be anti-teacher in its treatment of teachers in the evaluation process (superintendents are instructing school administrators to ratchet up "ineffective" and "developing" ratings against teachers, especially veteran teachers), the budgeting process (which rewards schools that shed veteran teachers) and contractually (back pay all the way to 2020) - that's because the UFT leadership only cares about the access de Blasio and Chancellor Farina have granted them, not how they have treated their members so badly.<br />
<br />
But why would the UFT want to announce an endorsement of de Blasio now with Preet bearing down on him and charges coming for one or more de Blasio cronies?<br />
<br />
That Thursday night leak to the NY Times about the state and federal grand juries looking into de Blasio didn't come out of nowhere - that's a clear indication that Preet intends some charges against someone and wants to give a heads up that they're coming.<br />
<br />
There's no indication yet that the charges will reach de Blasio himself, but even if they don't, weakened unpopular incumbent that he is, de Blasio may not be able to withstand major figures in his political circle getting taken down on criminal charges.<br />
<br />
I think the UFT would be smart to wait for Preet to make a move and see
what the political and practical fallout is before they endorse.<br />
<br />
But the words "smart" and "UFT leadership" do not sit well together, so they just may continue with the AFT/UFT pro-de Blasio strategy despite new information that suggests that strategy may be politically and practically short-sighted and ill-conceived.reality-based educatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01712885202661371924noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628172601886929098.post-25051598625043515412016-12-15T23:01:00.002-05:002016-12-15T23:01:30.026-05:00Looks Like Criminal Charges Are Coming For Some De Blasio Cronies<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/15/nyregion/bill-de-blasio-investigation.html?smid=tw-share">Preet Bharara leaking to the NY Times:</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Two
separate grand juries in Manhattan have begun hearing testimony in
connection with federal and state criminal investigations into Mayor <a class="meta-per" href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/d/bill_de_blasio/index.html?inline=nyt-per" title="More articles about Bill De Blasio.">Bill de Blasio</a>’s campaign fund-raising, according to several people with knowledge of the matters.<br /><br />It
was unclear whether either inquiry would result in criminal charges
against the mayor, but the grand jury activity appeared to be the
strongest indication since the investigations came to light in April
that prosecutors may be moving closer to one or more indictments,
possibly against some of Mr. de Blasio’s closest aides.<br /><br />The
inquiries have centered on Mr. de Blasio, a Democrat, and several of
his senior aides, according to the people with knowledge of the matter,
all of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity because grand jury
proceedings are secret.<br /><br />The state investigation has focused on whether the mayor, or those acting with him or on his behalf, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/23/nyregion/de-blasio-team-violated-campaign-finance-laws-report-says.html">violated state election law</a>
by raising hundreds of thousands of dollars through three upstate
county committees and funneling it to Democratic candidates during the
party’s unsuccessful 2014 bid to gain control of the State Senate.<br /><br />The
questions asked by state prosecutors in their grand jury presentations
suggest their inquiry is in some measure centered on Emma Wolfe, Mr. de
Blasio’s top political aide, Ross A. Offinger, who was then his campaign
finance director, and Josh Gold, a union political operative who worked
on the 2014 Senate effort, the people with knowledge of the inquiry
said.<br /><br />The
federal investigation has examined whether Mr. de Blasio or his aides
took beneficial action on behalf of donors in exchange for contributions
they had made to his 2013 mayoral campaign, his political nonprofit or
both in roughly a half-dozen instances, according to people with
knowledge of that inquiry.</blockquote>
<br />
Preet doesn't leak this kind of shit without criminal charges coming soon after, so it's almost a done deal that Wolfe, Offinger, Gold or all three are going to get charged with something in the near future.<br />
<br />
Whether de Blasio gets charged, difficult to say at this point - but one of the guy's turning state's evidence is the same guy who turned on Ed Mangano in Nassau County, so you never know.<br />
<br />
Cuomo had a bunch of his cronies indicted but most New York City residents have no idea that happened - it didn't get much coverage in the media down here.<br />
<br />
That's Cuomo - he leads a real charmed life. <br />
<br />
If de Blasio's aides are charged, however, you can bet there'll be a free-for-all over it in the media and it will do real damage to de Blasio.<br />
<br />
So far Sal Albanese has announced he's running for mayor and faux Democrat Tony Avella has set up a committee to explore a mayoral run.<br />
<br />
I think if charges come for de Blasio's aides, we'll see more jump in the race.<br />
<br />
The ones to watch are Scott Stringer and charter school shill Ruben Diaz Jr. - do either or both jump in if de Basio appears wounded by these grand jury investigations?<br />
<br />
I would've had another charter school shill on the list for potential jump-in's but Congressman Hakeem Jeffries is now in a leadership position with House Democrats, so it's unlikely he jumps in.<br />
<br />
We'll see how all this plays out, but once again, Preet's in the seat bringing more heat - and this time it's aiming at Bill de Blasio.<br />
<br />
No matter what happens, I remain dubious about Diaz Jr. running as the clean candidate against de Blasio when he comes from a family with such a history of corruption.<br />
<br />
But we'll see. reality-based educatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01712885202661371924noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628172601886929098.post-6727104058231255192016-11-09T07:53:00.000-05:002016-11-09T07:53:41.863-05:00Brexit ReduxDem elites and Clinton shills are already taking aim at Sanders people or Greens, blaming Trump's victory on them.<br />
<br />
As usual with the elites and their functionaries, they miss the truth.<br />
<br />
This is Brexit Redux:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
It's not a "stunning upset," as NYT says. It's elites' continued failure to understand the trauma people experienced during and after 2008.</div>
— Nicole Gelinas (@nicolegelinas) <a href="https://twitter.com/nicolegelinas/status/796234964970905600">November 9, 2016</a></blockquote>
<br />
And just so we can get the "The Greens did this!" bullshit out of the way:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
Take Jill Stein out of the equation, Trump still wins. Hillary get's MI and WI, but not PA, FL, OH. Anyone telling you others is uninformed <a href="https://t.co/Xj1jY9tXX5">pic.twitter.com/Xj1jY9tXX5</a></div>
— Benjamin Dixon (@TheBpDShow) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheBpDShow/status/796329595876286464">November 9, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
And anyone saying Gary Johnson voters would have ever voted for Clinton has never met libertarians. Run from their commentary. Run quickly</div>
— Benjamin Dixon (@TheBpDShow) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheBpDShow/status/796330075121655808">November 9, 2016</a></blockquote>
<br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
Clinton shills did a lot of mocking this year, first the Sanders people during the primary, then the Trump supporters during the general.<br />
<br />
One thing Clinton and her shills never did - try and understand the real pain and terror many in this country feel over their economic futures.<br />
<br />
A lot of those people sent a big "Fuck You!" to the elites last night, though I think that will come back to bite them in the end.<br />
<br />
A Republican president with a Republican Senate and a Republican House is going to do a lot of damage in the short term.<br />
<br />
Add in all the crazies Trump is sure to bring along - Rudy, Christie, maybe Palin - and it's even worse. <br />
<br />
As for the Supreme Court, that strategy Obama pursued doesn't look so hot now either - the chance to transform the Supreme Court is now lost to Dems.<br />
<br />
Remember that union case that ended up 4-4 after Scalia died?<br />
<br />
You can bet another case like that one is going to rear sooner rather than later and those automatic dues the union elites lap up will go out the window with Clinton's electoral map to victory.<br />
<br />
It's going to be a very tough few years. <br />
<br />
The "Fuck you!" sent last night, as with the one the British sent with Brexit, is going to be a costly one in the end.<br />
<br />
But I blame Dem elites for this mess - this loss is squarely on HRC and her neoliberal cohorts.<br />
<br />
This ought to be a wake-up call to Dem elites that neoliberalism must go and the party needs to embrace a true populist agenda.<br />
<br />
But I'm under no illusions that Dem elites will learn the correct lessons from this.<br />
<br />
They'll continue with the elite circle jerk and furiously blame "Bernie Bros" or Greens or "deplorables" instead of looking into the mirror and saying "Why have we embraced neo-liberalism, bringing about the de-industrialization of the country, the financialization of the economy and Trump to the White House?" <br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>reality-based educatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01712885202661371924noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628172601886929098.post-82097089850679687842016-10-10T10:12:00.000-04:002016-10-10T10:12:39.885-04:00Odds On De Blasio's Re-ElectionTelling statement from Hakeem Jeffries, charter school shill and oft-rumored Cuomo fave for running against de Blasio in a Democratic primary for mayor, <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/investigations-will-shape-new-york-mayoral-race-1476061741">in this Wall Street Journal piece on de Blasio's chances for re-election:</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“Short of the investigations showing anything happening to Bill de
Blasio, it’s not clear to me that he has anything to be concerned about
with respect to his re-election,” said U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, a
Democrat who represents portions of Brooklyn and Queens. “It’s always
difficult to unseat an incumbent when the economy and public safety
numbers are not subject to heavy criticism.”</blockquote>
<br />
Sounds like Jeffries is going to stay in Congress, doesn't it?<br />
<br />
Unless those investigations into de Blasio turn up something, of course - but no one seems to know what's going on with any of this:<br />
<br />
Here's how the WSJ reports on potential challengers to de Blasio:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
City Comptroller Scott Stringer, a Democrat, has privately told
consultants and others that whether anyone is indicted has significant
sway over whether he runs, people familiar with those discussions said.
Mr. Stringer has said he <a class="icon none" href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/new-york-city-mayors-race-is-talkof-democratic-national-convention-1469754463">wants to be ready to announce</a> by the end of the year, but isn’t committed and is less likely to run if no one is charged, they said.<br />
<br />
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.,
another Democrat, also has expressed an interest in running but remains
unsure if Mr. de Blasio is beatable, a person familiar with the matter
said, and believes his chance at being competitive hinges in part on the
investigations.<br />
<br />
Mr. Jeffries said he is unlikely to run but would make a decision after November. <a class="icon none" href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/real-estate-executive-to-run-against-de-blasio-1470343511">Real-estate executive Paul Massey </a> has said he would seek the Republican mayoral nomination, but it is unclear how formidable a GOP contender would be next year. </blockquote>
<br />
Diaz Jr has been investigated in the past by the feds and comes from a family with a history of corruption, so I remain skeptical that's the guy who gets to run successfully against de Blasio on the morals/ethics issue.<br />
<br />
As for Massey, a real estate exec running for mayor of NYC? <br />
<br />
Good luck with that.<br />
<br />
My thinking on that is, you want to be from a different industry with real estate money backing you to win (you know, like de Blasio...) <br />
<br />
If Jeffries doesn't run (and it sure sounds like he isn't), then only with Stringer do you have a realistic challenger to de Blasio, but until/unless we get more on the investigations in the next few months, Stringer's going to have to sit on his ambition and wait.<br />
<br />
Post Cuomo administration indictments, I'm not convinced indictments of de Blasio staff and/or donors will be a fatal shiv for his re-election.<br />
<br />
An indictment of the mayor himself would be.<br />
<br />
Like everyone else, we'll just have to wait and see.<br />
<br />
As a little tea leaf reading, <a href="http://observer.com/2016/09/preet-bharara-skewers-bill-de-blasio-and-praises-the-press-at-political-gala/">a couple of weeks ago Preet made a de Blasio joke at a public function:</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">It seems that U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara’s <a href="http://observer.com/2016/09/all-the-governors-men-federal-charges-against-top-cuomo-aide-donor-and-suny-head/">recent slapping of federal charges</a>
on Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s closest associates in an alleged bid-rigging
scheme has emboldened him to take jabs at just about everyone—right up
to Mayor Bill de Blasio and his <a href="http://observer.com/2015/08/de-blasio-refuses-to-discuss-hitting-the-gym-during-violent-stand-off/">infamous affinity</a> for traveling all the way to his old neighborhood of Park Slope to exercise at the YMCA during working hours.</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<span class="s1">Bharara was honored as “Newsmaker of the Decade” by <em>City & State</em> and
served as keynote speaker at its 10th anniversary gala tonight at
Vermilion Restaurant in Midtown Manhattan. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="s1">...</span><br />
<span class="s1"> </span><br />
<div class="p1">
The federal prosecutor didn’t reference the case
against Cuomo’s top lieutenants, but instead poked fun at another target
of his recent investigations: de Blasio, who faces federal probes into
his police department and defunct political nonprofits.</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Bharara tweaked the mayor’s fondness for traveling 12 miles from his Gracie Mansion home to the Park Slope YMCA—a <a href="http://observer.com/2016/09/bill-de-blasio-doesnt-want-to-talk-about-his-donors-or-his-workout/">subject he hates to talk about</a>—and his preference <a href="http://observer.com/2014/01/with-a-fork-bill-de-blasio-eats-pizza/">for eating pizza with utensils</a>—known jokingly as “Forkgate.” </span><span class="s1">He praised <em>City & State</em>
for choosing Vermilion Restaurant as a venue, saying that he understood
it to be “Indian fusion” which resonated well with him because “I’m
kind of Indian fusion myself”—but he said de Blasio would prefer the
gym if it were an event for him.</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">“If it had been Mayor de Blasio,
we’d all be eating at the Park Slope YMCA,” Bharara said, as attendees
shouted “Ooh!” and laughed raucously, “and we’d eat pizza with a knife
and fork. It’s just jokes.”</span></div>
</blockquote>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Would Bharara be making Park Slope and pizza jokes about de Blasio if he were going to arrest him on corruption charges in the near future?</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Seems weird, but maybe I'm overthinking it. </span></div>
reality-based educatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01712885202661371924noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628172601886929098.post-17726900095584911072016-10-04T13:36:00.002-04:002016-10-04T15:00:18.850-04:00Cuomo Helped Christie Cover Up Bridgegate By Conspiring To Issue A "False Report" For The Bridge Closures (UPDATED)<a href="http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/268087/reports-bridgegate-witness-says-cuomo-christie-discussed-issuing-false-report/">Bombshell testimony from government witness and former Christie ally David Wildstein today in the Bridgegate trial:</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
David Wildstein, a former top Port Authority official turned star
witness in the Bridgegate trial, suggested in Tuesday testimony that
Gov. Andrew Cuomo discussed with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie
issuing false report on the nightmarish lane closures on the George
Washington Bridge in 2013, <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-10-04/christie-cuomo-agreed-on-false-bridge-report-witness-says?utm_content=business&utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&cmpid%3D=socialflow-twitter-business" target="_blank"><b>according to reports</b></a>.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/cuomo-christie-talk-brought-halt-bridgegate-probe-witness-article-1.2817121" target="_blank"><b>Multiple outlets reported</b></a> that Wildstein, who has pleaded guilty to his role in the lane closures, <a href="http://www.wnyc.org/story/cuomo-implicated-bridgegate-cover/" target="_blank"><b>heard there were conversations</b></a>
between the two governors within a month after the incident and they
agreed that Port Authority Executive Director Pat Foye would approve a
false report that blamed the closures on a communication breakdown and
push blame onto the New Jersey side of the bi-state agency.<br />
<br />
Such a report never was issued, though <a href="http://www.northjersey.com/news/wildstein-christie-cuomo-discussed-early-report-to-make-bridgegate-questions-go-away-1.1671018" target="_blank"><b>it was reported</b></a>
Tuesday that it was used for testimony before a legislative committee
by former Port Authority Deputy Executive Director Bill Baroni.<br />
<br />
Cuomo’s office did not immediately comment.</blockquote>
<br />
<a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/cuomo-christie-talk-brought-halt-bridgegate-probe-witness-article-1.2817121">More details from the Daily News:</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Gov. Cuomo directed the head of the Port Authority to "lay off" of an
inquiry into the Bridgegate scandal until after the 2013 election
following conversations with N.J. Gov. Chris Christie, a former PA
official testified Tuesday.<br />
<br />
David Wildstein, who has already pleaded guilty for his role in the
September 2013 gridlock, said he had heard there had been
"conversations" between the two governors after the Port Authority's
executive director, Pat Foye, vowed to get to the bottom of the lane
closures from Fort Lee to the George Washington Bridge.<br />
<br />
Cuomo and Christie had agreed in October 2013 that Foye would sign off
on a bogus report on the closures in which the Port Authority would
admit a communication breakdown resulted in Fort Lee being caught by
surprise by an agency traffic study, Wildstein said. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Wildstein recalled saying it would be a "heavy lift" to get Foye to
approve the report, but that he believed it could be done thanks to
Cuomo.<br />
<br />
"My understanding was Gov. Christie and Gov. Cuomo had discussed this,
if the New Jersey side (of the PA) accepted responsibility, Foye would
sign off on this and that would put an end to this issue," Wildstein
said.<br />
<br />
This report would be issued, there would be an explanation to the
public, the Port Authority would take responsibility for the failure in
communication ... and the question of lane closures would go away."<br />
<br />
Under cross examination by Kelly's attorney Michael Critchley,
Wildstein agreed that Cuomo's order that Foye "stand down" and "lay off"
was only in effect to Election Day in November 2013.</blockquote>
<br />
The day after the election, Wildstein said he was contacted by a reporter who identified him as the architect of the Bridgegate plan.<br />
<br />
Wildstein told the court today that he believed Foye was behind that leak to the reporter.<br />
<br />
Cuomo so far has not commented on this allegation, but if it's true, then Andrew Cuomo, the Democratic governor of New York, helped Chris Christie, the Republican governor of New Jersey, to cover up the closure of the George Washington Bridge by knowingly sanctioning a false report about the reason for the closures.<br />
<br />
Why would Cuomo do this?<br />
<br />
Well, he was running for re-election next year, Christie was head of the Republican Governors Association, so by helping Christie out when he was running for re-election, Cuomo could expect to get help back from Christie in return when he was running the next year.<br />
<br />
And that's exactly what happened - Christie mocked the Republican candidate for governor (Rob Astorino), withheld money and resources from the campaign and basically did all he could to help Cuomo win re-election.<br />
<br />
At the time, many of us suspected that Cuomo and Christie had a non-aggression pact despite being in different parties.<br />
<br />
We now have what appears to be definitive proof of that.<br />
<br />
So, would be great to hear what Cuomo's excuse for helping Christie cover up Bridgegate would be, but the governor is whereabouts unknown and apparently his flying attack monkeys haven't come up with a good excuse yet to go public with.<br />
<br />
We'll see how long we have to wait until they finally conjure up some bullshit excuse for Cuomo's helping Christie cover up Bridgegate.<br />
<br />
<b>UPDATE 2:15 PM:</b> Didn't have to wait long:
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
Cuomo spox on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bridgegate?src=hash">#Bridgegate</a> "Anyone can say anything, especially a convicted felon spinning a tale, but it’s just false and delusional.”</div>
— Joseph Spector (@GannettAlbany) <a href="https://twitter.com/GannettAlbany/status/783363305352077312">October 4, 2016</a></blockquote>
<br />
Same old song - Deny, Deny, Deny.<br />
<br />
Cuomo's on the witness list for the trial, so there's an outside chance he could be called to testify and put under oath where this kind of denial becomes perjury if proven false.<br />
<br />
But best bet here is, he won't be called to testify, the NY legislature will do nothing about these allegations, Democratic and Republican politicians around the state will continue to defend/enable him and he'll get away with his crimes, as he has since 2010.<br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>reality-based educatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01712885202661371924noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628172601886929098.post-52158956235272719752016-09-23T07:40:00.000-04:002016-09-23T07:51:07.017-04:00Andrew Cuomo Is Either Corrupt Or Incompetent<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/NYGovCuomo">@NYGovCuomo</a> is either a clueless idiot or complicit. It's one or the other. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BuffaloBillion?src=hash">#BuffaloBillion</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Buffaloboondoggle?src=hash">#Buffaloboondoggle</a></div>
— Steve McLaughlin (@SteveMcNY) <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveMcNY/status/778934057195360257">September 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
<br />
That's Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin reacting to the various criminal charges levied against nine individuals with connections to Governor Andrew Cuomo yesterday, including Cuomo's former top aide and all-around fixer, Joseph Percoco.<br />
<br />
When you look closely at the criminal complaint unsealed yesterday, you notice that McLaughlin has an excellent point.<br />
<br />
Percoco started soliciting bribes and favors even before his boss, Andrew, was elected governor and Cuomo himself was never far from the action, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/24/nyregion/cuomos-silver-lining-in-new-albany-graft-case-no-sign-he-did-wrong.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fnyregion&action=click&contentCollection=nyregion&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront">as this NY Times account makes clear:</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="366" data-total-count="4550">
Though
rarely mentioned in the federal complaint, Mr. Cuomo hovers in the
background of the narrative of his former aides’ misdeeds — and some of
the more embarrassing revelations. Proximity to the governor and the
executive chamber were the currency in which both Mr. Howe and Mr.
Percoco traded, often by invoking Mr. Cuomo’s name or exploiting his
presence.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="366" data-total-count="4550">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="494" data-total-count="5044">
In
October 2010, for example, as Mr. Cuomo was running for governor, Peter
Galbraith Kelly, Jr., chief lobbyist for a power company that was
seeking state assistance for its plant in the Hudson Valley, arranged
for the company to donate a private jet to fly Mr. Cuomo and his staff
to campaign events, the complaint says. It was all part of Mr. Kelly’s
bid to ingratiate himself with Mr. Percoco, according to the complaint,
as it became increasingly apparent that Mr. Cuomo would be elected.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="494" data-total-count="5044">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="446" data-total-count="5490">
At
various points, the complaint says, Mr. Howe and Mr. Percoco referred
to generous donors and clients of Mr. Howe’s as “friends,” short for
“friends of the governor” — people who, it seemed, could expect special
treatment from the governor’s inner circle. In March 2015, according to
the complaint, Mr. Howe and Mr. Percoco set up a meeting for Mr. Kelly
with the governor’s secretary, a central figure in the executive
chamber.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="446" data-total-count="5490">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="136" data-total-count="5626">
“As Joe told you, Braith is ‘family,’” Mr. Howe wrote to the secretary, referring to Mr. Kelly’s nickname, the complaint says.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="136" data-total-count="5626">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="537" data-total-count="6163">
In
early 2014, Steven Aiello, president of the Syracuse-area developer COR
Development Company, another “friend” and major donor to Mr. Cuomo, was
scheduled to meet with Mr. Percoco at the governor’s office in Midtown
Manhattan, according to the complaint. Mr. Howe emailed Mr. Percoco,
employing an affectionate nickname the two men often used for each
other, “Herb,” and dropping in a “Sopranos” reference to ziti as a slang
for money: “Lay it on thick, govs loves you … Lay it on heAvy Herbie!
Zitti herb! Zitti!!”</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="537" data-total-count="6163">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="231" data-total-count="6394">
Thus
prompted, the complaint continues, Mr. Percoco replied that he might
have Mr. Cuomo drop by the meeting to say hello. Mr. Howe told
investigators that Mr. Percoco did this so he could pressure Mr. Aiello
later for more bribes.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="231" data-total-count="6394">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="339" data-total-count="6733">
The
governor’s name came up again in September 2015, according to the
complaint, when Mr. Aiello complained to Mr. Howe that he had not been
invited to attend Mr. Cuomo’s events during a planned trip to Syracuse.
After Mr. Percoco intervened, Mr. Aiello was asked to give the governor a
tour of a new hotel he was building in the city.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="339" data-total-count="6733">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="126" data-total-count="6859" id="story-continues-5">
The coziness depicted in the complaint makes it difficult for some to believe that Mr. Cuomo did not know something was amiss.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="126" data-total-count="6859" id="story-continues-5">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="318" data-total-count="7177">
“It’s
unrealistic with an adviser that was this close to the governor, that
the governor doesn’t know what was going on,” said Doug Kellogg, a
spokesman for Reclaim New York, a good-government group. Or, if Mr.
Cuomo truly did not know, Mr. Kellogg added, “It’s a sign that he’s not
minding the store.”</div>
</blockquote>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="318" data-total-count="7177">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="318" data-total-count="7177">
The line out today from Cuomo shills is that Cuomo was clean while he was betrayed by his friends, associates and donors in these matters, but he will now use these betrayals as impetus to push for a cleaner Albany.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="318" data-total-count="7177">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="318" data-total-count="7177">
But that line is horseshit.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="318" data-total-count="7177">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="318" data-total-count="7177">
Either Cuomo knew part or all of what was going on under his nose and chose to look the other way (how about those "free" private jet flights back in October 2010, Andy?) or he didn't know and was a) a terrible judge of the character of the people around him and b) incompetent in his stewardship of his administration and its signature economic initiatives (which appear to have been run more to line the pockets of his friends, associates and donors than actually provide any economic development.)</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="318" data-total-count="7177">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="318" data-total-count="7177">
Given Cuomo's reputation as a micromanager with his fingers on everything going on around him, it's difficult to believe Cuomo didn't have some inkling of the games Percoco, Howe, Kaloyeros, et al. were playing and the money and favors that were rolling their way.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="318" data-total-count="7177">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="318" data-total-count="7177">
Yesterday U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara was asked if the governor was in any trouble for any of this and he replied with a statement that basically said "No - not yet, at any rate":</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="318" data-total-count="7177">
<br /></div>
<blockquote>
“What I can say at this moment is that there are no
allegations of any wrongdoing or misconduct by the governor anywhere in
this complaint. That’s all I’m going to say.”</blockquote>
<br />
That's not exactly a clean bill of health for the governor from the U.S. attorney and while multiple outlets have run stories today with the headline that Cuomo's skating on criminal charges while many around him are not, there remains the possibility that one or more of those guys arrested yesterday decides to tell tales on the governor and give a blueprint for where all the bodies are buried in the Cuomo administration.<br />
<br />
Even if that doesn't happen, Cuomo ought to be finished politically, as it's quite clear that his "effective" and "ethical" stewardship of the state government is neither of those things.<br />
<br />
But as is always the case with Cuomo, he's searching for ways to survive and thrive - thus an appearance in Buffalo today and the line out of his shills about how Cuomo will use these arrests as motivation to clean up state government.<br />
<br />
He cannot be allowed to get away with that nonsense.<br />
<br />
Andrew Cuomo was either complicit in the corruption in his administration or he was ignorant of it, in which case he is an incompetent fool.<br />
<br />
The only way the cesspool that is Albany gets even a bit cleaner from all the corruption is when Andrew Cuomo is finally shown the door and kicked out of office and power.<br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>reality-based educatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01712885202661371924noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628172601886929098.post-45983096097397066712016-09-22T17:34:00.000-04:002016-09-22T17:34:57.450-04:00Preetmas EveVarious outlets on the Cuomo corruption story today - <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/23/nyregion/cuomo-former-aides-charges.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=second-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0">first the NY Times:</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="302" data-total-count="302">
Federal corruption charges were announced on Thursday against two former close aides to Gov. <a class="meta-per" href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/c/andrew_m_cuomo/index.html?inline=nyt-per" title="More articles about Andrew M. Cuomo.">Andrew M. Cuomo</a>,
a senior state official and six other people, in a devastating blow to
the governor’s innermost circle and a repudiation of how his prized
upstate economic development programs were managed.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="302" data-total-count="302">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="482" data-total-count="784">
The
charges against the former aides, Joseph Percoco and Todd R. Howe, and
the state official, Alain Kaloyeros, were the culmination of a
long-running federal investigation into the Cuomo administration’s
attempts to lure jobs and businesses to upstate New York’s limping
economy by furnishing billions of dollars in state funds to developers
from Buffalo to Albany. Mr. Howe is cooperating with the investigation,
according to a <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/09/22/nyregion/Percoco-Complaint.html">79-page criminal complaint</a> unsealed on Thursday.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="482" data-total-count="784">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="248" data-total-count="1032">
The
charges stemmed from “two overlapping criminal schemes involving
bribery, corruption and fraud in the award of hundreds of millions of
dollars in state contracts and other official state benefits,” federal
prosecutors said in the complaint.</div>
</blockquote>
<br />
<a href="http://www.politico.com/states/new-york/albany/story/2016/09/schneiderman-announces-three-charges-against-kaloyeros-for-alleged-bid-rigging-105725">Politico NY:</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
ALBANY— Alain Kaloyeros, the now former CEO of SUNY Polytechnic
Institute, has been charged with three felony counts in connection to an
alleged bid-rigging scheme, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman
announced Thursday.<br />
<br />
The complaint against Kaloyeros, 60, alleges he steered, or agreed to
steer, the awarding of contracts to favorable companies, including
Columbia Development, a real estate firm with extensive ties to the
Capital Region. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The complaint alleges Kaloyeros improperly used the Request for
Proposal process to direct contracts to certain firms for the
construction of facilities for SUNY Poly. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“A year-long investigation by my office found that Alain Kaloyeros
allegedly used his perch atop SUNY Polytechnic [and] engaged in brazen
bid-rigging, using taxpayer dollars and abusing his power to enrich
himself and his cronies,” Schneiderman said at a press conference in
Manhattan. “According to our criminal complaint, Kaloyeros gave insider
information to friends and fixed the bidding process to ensure his
cronies lucrative contracts, funded in part by the state of New York. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Kaloyeros,
who is expected to be arraigned in Albany City Court on Friday, has
been charged with three felony counts of Combination in Restraint of
Trade and Competition. Joseph Nicolla, the head of Columbia Development,
has been charged with one felony count of of Combination in Restraint
of Trade and Competition and is expected to be arraigned on Monday. </blockquote>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<br /><a href="http://www.nystateofpolitics.com/2016/09/bharara-systemic-corruption-in-albany-cuomo-not-implicated-at-this-moment/">Is Cuomo himself implicated in any of this?</a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
Bharara was asked if Cuomo himself has any involvement in the case by a reporter who noted that he had once <a href="http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/politics/blogs/vote-up/2016/01/11/bharara-absolves-cuomos-office-moreland-commission-probe/78633624/">issued a statement</a>
absolving the governor of wrongdoing in connection with the early
demise of the corruption-busting Moreland Commission. His reply: <br />
<blockquote>
“What I can say at this moment is that there are no
allegations of any wrongdoing or misconduct by the governor anywhere in
this complaint. That’s all I’m going to say.”</blockquote>
When pressed on whether it’s “realistic” to believe that the
governor, who has a reputation of being something of a micromanager, did
not know what his top aide was up to, Bharara said simply: “It’s not my
job to comment on what is realistic or unrealistic.”<br />
<br />
Bharara also said that this investigation, “as a general matter,” remains open. </div>
</blockquote>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
Politically there's going to be some serious fallout for Cuomo and he's never going to want Sandra Lee to make "ziti" every again, but he appears to be skating on criminal charges, at least for now.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
Whether that changes as a result of any of the fellows charged today dishing dirt on him, we'll just have to wait and see.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
In any case Happy Preetmas Eve everybody.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
Next up in the NY Corruption Season - Bill de Blasio and those donors.</div>
</div>
reality-based educatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01712885202661371924noreply@blogger.com77tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628172601886929098.post-84184361762732906532016-09-22T07:24:00.000-04:002016-09-22T07:38:04.651-04:00Former Cuomo Aide Joe Percoco, Others To Face Corruption Charges Related To Andrew Cuomo's Economic Development Projects<a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/ex-cuomo-aide-joseph-percoco-to-face-charges-in-bribery-probe-1474516861?mod=e2tw">Finally:</a><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
Federal authorities plan to unseal charges against a former top aide to New York Gov. <a href="http://topics.wsj.com/person/C/Andrew-Cuomo/5961">Andrew Cuomo</a> as early as Thursday in connection with an <a class="icon none" href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/federal-prosecutors-investigate-people-close-to-governor-over-buffalo-project-1461969654">alleged bribery and kickback scheme</a> involving the governor’s signature economic-development program, according to people familiar with the matter. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
In addition to the former aide, Joseph Percoco,
the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan intends to bring
public-corruption charges against a number of other individuals in
connection with the wide-ranging investigation, these people said.<br />
<br />
The precise nature of the charges against Mr. Percoco, who for decades was <a class="icon none" href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/former-cuomo-aide-draws-scrutiny-as-ties-to-governor-persist-1461286410">one of Mr. Cuomo’s most senior aides and closest friends</a>, wasn’t immediately clear.<br />
<br />
For
months, Mr. Percoco has been at the center of a probe by U.S. Attorney
Preet Bharara’s office concerning allegations of bribery and kickbacks
in connection with an economic-development program known as the Buffalo Billion, which Mr. Cuomo has lauded as having revived the sleepy upstate economy.<br />
<br />
Since the <a class="icon none" href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/former-aide-pushed-gov-andrew-cuomos-agenda-behind-the-scenes-1462151202">investigation became </a>public
in April, Mr. Cuomo, a Democrat, has distanced himself from Mr. Percoco
and ordered an internal review of the Buffalo Billion program. A
spokesman for Mr. Cuomo didn’t respond to a request for comment
Wednesday evening.</blockquote>
<br />
And the fallout for Cuomo:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The probe and expected charges represent the most significant
political crisis Mr. Cuomo has faced since he took office in 2011, in
part because they are linked to some of his signature programs and major
donors, but also because of the alleged involvement of Mr. Percoco in
particular.<br />
<br />
For years, Mr. Percoco has been one of the governor’s
most trusted allies, an individual so tight with the Cuomo family that
the governor once described him as “my father’s third son, who sometimes
I think he loved the most.”</blockquote>
<br />
If anybody knows where some of the Andrew Cuomo administration bodies are buried, it would be Joe Percoco, Mario's "third son."<br />
<br />
Some reaction:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-cards="hidden" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
Hard to overestimate this story in NY politics: Joe Percoco, Cuomo's longtime top aide, will face bribery charges: <a href="https://t.co/P2NC4MA7j8">https://t.co/P2NC4MA7j8</a></div>
— Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) <a href="https://twitter.com/jdawsey1/status/778807642101649409">September 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
<br />
Who else will be indicted?<br />
<br />
Perhaps Percoco's wife, who also was being investigated for funky payments from one of the companies involved.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2016/06/iphone-of-cuomo-crony-kaloyeros.html">SUNY Poly's Alain Kaloyeros was getting looked at as well as part of the investigation</a>, but whether he's part of today's show is uncertain.<br />
<br />
I suspect if Kaloyeros were going to go down today, he'd have been part of the leak.<br />
<br />
Definitely Todd Howe, who has been cooperating with the feds in the matter, to be charged - <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/23/nyregion/cuomo-former-aides-charges.html?_r=0">the NY Times reports half a dozen people are going to be charged today in all. </a><br />
<br />
As for Andrew Cuomo, the damage to his administration will be big, though probably not fatal.<br />
<br />
This is Cuomo's signature economic development program that Percoco and Company were using as their personal cash box and Cuomo, Mr. Accountability himself, had no idea (or so he says) this was going on.<br />
<br />
At the very least, the political damage is that Cuomo was not paying attention as those closest to him (Percoco and former Cuomo aide/now cooperating with the feds lobbyist Todd Howe) were engaging in bribery/kickback schemes and other shenanigans.<br />
<br />
The NY Times described the fallout for Cuomo as<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
a devastating blow to the governor’s innermost circle and a repudiation
of how his prized upstate economic development programs were managed,
according to people with knowledge of the matter. </blockquote>
<br />
There remains the possibility that Percoco can be squeezed for what he knows about Cuomo and all those donors <a href="http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2016/07/quid-pro-cuomos-fundraising-track.html">(the pattern has been: Donate to Cuomo, Get Contract/Favor in return)</a>, though I suspect if that were going to happen, there might already be indication of that in a leak.<br />
<br />
In any case, going to be a fun day if you've been waiting for the Cuomo economic development project bribery/kickback/corruption investigation season to finally kick off.<br />
<br />
One final point: with Bharara finally making a move on Percoco, I wouldn't be surprised if we don't get some action on one or more of the various de Blasio corruption probes in the very near future.<br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>reality-based educatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01712885202661371924noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628172601886929098.post-33149737690993331082016-08-18T10:09:00.000-04:002016-08-18T10:09:14.231-04:00Cuomo Approaches Teacher Evaluations With Same Illiteracy He Uses For His Economic Development ProgramsIt's been quite the couple of weeks for Governor Andrew Cuomo.<br />
<br />
Cuomo, who likes to spend his days finding new ways to torture Bill de Blasio, found himself on the end of some of his own torture in the form of state and federal audits of some of his signature economic development programs as well as a legislative hearing that laid bare the failures of another one of his signature economic development programs.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://observer.com/2016/08/andrew-cuomo-comptrollers-audits-only-count-when-i-say-they-do/">First came state audits conducted by Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli</a> which were critical of Cuomo's economic development program compliance and accountability mechanisms: <br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The governor escalated yet another feud with yet another fellow
Democrat after an unrelated press conference in the Bronx this
afternoon. Responding to a series of unflattering summertime analyses of
his signature programs, Cuomo bashed DiNapoli’s two-decade tenure
representing parts of Nassau County in the Assembly and argued that
history discredited the comptroller’s assessments. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
... </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
<div id="container_wbd2daae9d2" style="left: -9999px; margin: 0; overflow: hidden; padding: 0; position: absolute;">
</div>
The governor did not specifically attack any particular proposals the
comptroller voted on in Albany but insisted the Assembly had been “part
of the problem” and had “basically abandoned upstate New York.”<br />
<br />
Cuomo’s slap at DiNapoli was a reaction to the <a href="http://www.osc.state.ny.us/press/releases/aug16/080116.htm" target="_blank">comptroller’s findings</a>
earlier this month that the New York Power Authority, which was
supposed to dispense power to struggling nonprofits and entrepreneurs at
discounted rates under the governor’s Recharge NY program, had made
numerous errors when assessing applicants’ eligibility. This meant
noncompliant entities got cheap electricity from the state anyway, while
groups that qualified for the program were barred from participating.<br />
<br />
The governor appoints the power authority’s entire board.<br />
<br />
That audit followed the comptroller’s <a href="http://osc.state.ny.us/audits/allaudits/093016/15s15.htm" target="_blank">July takedown</a> of
the Empire State Development Corporation, another Cuomo-controlled
public-private venture, and its Excelsior jobs program. DiNapoli
found that the development corporation had repeatedly handed out large
tax breaks to companies without obtaining the necessary documentation to
corroborate their eligibility or productivity.</blockquote>
<br />
Cuomo claimed DiNapoli's audits were not quantifiable but were instead "opinions":<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
“What you’re getting in an audit is that person’s opinion, right?”
the governor said. “Sometimes I agree, sometimes I disagree, because it
is only an opinion.”</blockquote>
<br />
Except that the state audits weren't "opinions":<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The comptroller’s audits of Recharge NY and the Excelsior
program were, in fact, based on numbers and hard data his office
obtained from the NYPA and ESDC, from the businesses they worked with,
and on eligibility requirements Cuomo’s own initiatives established. A
DiNapoli spokeswoman refused to respond to the governor’s personal
attacks.<br />
<br />
“The reports completed by our professional auditors speak loudly for
themselves,” said Jennifer Freedman, communications director for the
comptroller.</blockquote>
<br />
Nice work by the governor there to take an audit based on numbers and hard data from Cuomo-controlled entities like NYPA and ESDC and turn them into "opinions", eh?<br />
<br />
<a href="http://observer.com/2016/08/no-right-or-wrong-on-economic-development-programs-andrew-cuomo-says-just-opinions/">Later on, Cuomo tried a diversionary tactic to defend against the state audit findings:</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Facing numerous analyses showing his signature jobs programs
misallocated resources and put few New Yorkers to work, Gov. Andrew
Cuomo argued today that any such assessments are only a matter of
political point of view.<br />
<br />
Speaking after an unrelated event in the Bronx, the governor defended his <a href="http://observer.com/2016/08/andrew-cuomo-comptrollers-audits-only-count-when-i-say-they-do/">attacks last week on state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli</a>,
who released unflattering audits of two Cuomo programs this summer. The
governor again insisted that those findings were just DiNapoli’s
opinions, opinions which are open to debate given the comptroller’s
history as an assemblyman from Long Island. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“I said these are matters where people give their opinion. I have
certain opinions that are my opinions. I believe in marriage equality,
right? I believe in <a href="http://observer.com/2016/01/de-blasio-and-cuomo-each-position-themselves-as-champions-of-15-wage/">$15 as a minimum wage</a>.
You could not believe—there are assemblymen who don’t agree with me,
there are senators who don’t agree with me on the minimum wage. And if
they write a report, they’re going to say my minimum wage idea was a bad
idea, because they disagree with it. And that’s fine—that’s democracy.
And assemblymen take positions during the course of their tenure. And
some people support minimum wage, some people don’t support minimum
wage. Some people don’t support economic development. There are people
in the Assembly who say there is no economic development possible, leave
it to the private sector. So you get opinions,” the governor
said. “It’s a matter of opinion on many of these issues, and there’s no
right or wrong. That’s why we have elections; that’s why we have
debates. Donald Trump thinks one thing. Hillary Clinton thinks another
thing.”<br />
<br />
<div id="inarticle_wrapper_div">
<div id="inread1_26817" style="clear: both; display: inline-block; left: -99999px; overflow: hidden; position: fixed;">
<div class="mainAdView" id="inread_26817" style="height: 1px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; visibility: visible;">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr id="zd_tr_26817"><td id="zd_td_26817" style="opacity: 0;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</div>
</div>
How any of this commentary was relevant to the Observer’s specific
question about DiNapoli, a well-known liberal Democrat, is unclear. The
audits the comptroller’s office produced had nothing to do with gay
marriage or with the state’s new pay floors, but with Cuomo’s Recharge
NY and Excelsior programs.</blockquote>
<br />
Of course none of that nonsense Cuomo spewed about the minimum wage or gay marriage had anything to do with the questions about the state audits and Cuomo's lame defense that they were "opinions."<br />
<br />
Rather this nonsense was pure diversionary tactic - "Hey, look over there! Gay marriage! Minimum wage hike! Whee! Yayy Cuomo!" - not a reasoned defense of his economic development programs to the scathing audit findings.<br />
<br />
And again, as Will Bredderman at the Observer shows, DiNapoli's audits were anything but opinion:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: small;">Recharge NY, run through the Cuomo-controlled New York Power
Authority, was supposed to dispense power to struggling nonprofits and
entrepreneurs at discounted rates. But DiNapoli’s auditors found NYPA <span style="font-weight: 400;">had
made numerous errors when assessing applicants’
eligibility—meaning noncompliant entities got cheap electricity from the
state anyway, while groups that qualified for the program were barred
from participating.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The governor appoints the power authority’s entire board.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">That audit followed the comptroller’s July takedown of the Excelsior
jobs program, run through the Empire State Development Corporation,
another Cuomo-controlled public private entity, and its Excelsior jobs
program. DiNapoli discovered that the development corporation had
repeatedly handed out large tax breaks to companies without obtaining
the necessary documentation to corroborate their eligibility or
productivity.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The comptroller’s audits of Recharge NY and the Excelsior program
were based on numbers and hard data his office obtained from the NYPA
and ESDC, from the businesses they worked with, and on eligibility
requirements Cuomo’s own initiatives established.</span></blockquote>
<br />
But hey, what's some hard data and numbers taken from Cuomo's own entities when you can be diverting with some nonsense about gay marriage?<br />
<br />
<a href="http://observer.com/2016/08/andrew-cuomo-says-the-obama-administration-doesnt-understand-federal-law/">Cuomo tried a similar nonsensical defense with a federal audit this week that found New York State wasted $22 million dollars in Sandy funds: </a><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Gov. Andrew Cuomo slammed President Barack Obama’s Department of Housing and Urban Development today for alleging New York <a href="https://www.hudoig.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2016-NY-1009.pdf" target="_blank">mishandled $22.4 million</a> in hurricane relief funds from Washington—insisting that his administration understands federal law better than Obama’s.<br />
<br />
Cuomo, a Democrat who headed HUD during the Clinton administration,
lashed out at an audit by Obama’s inspector general for the agency while
addressing the press after an unrelated event in the Bronx this
morning. IG David Montoya’s office found that Cuomo’s Office of Tourism
and Marketing did a poor job meeting the requirements of the block
grant money it received in the aftermath of 2012’s Hurricane Sandy.<br />
<br />
But the governor argued that Montoya and his staff don’t understand HUD rules.<br />
<br />
<div id="container_wbf84e25625" style="left: -9999px; margin: 0; overflow: hidden; padding: 0; position: absolute;">
</div>
“Some federal person, entity, did an audit. We believe they misread
the law, and misread the regulations, about how the funding should be
spent, and so we’re contesting their opinion,” he said, boasting of his
administration’s response to the disaster. “During Hurricane Sandy, we
expended billions and billions of dollars, literally. In the handling of
the emergency and the construction and the aftermath, trying to get
people to come back to the effected communities. So I’m very proud of
what the state did.”</blockquote>
<br />
So what did the federal audit find? <br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
In particular, Montoya’s auditors discovered that the state handed
millions for marketing and promotions to the Empire State Development
Corporation—a Cuomo-run public-private organization—and the city of Long
Beach on Long Island without first obtaining an independent analysis of
the costs of their respective programs. It also determined the state
did not get sufficiently detailed budgets from either ESDS or Long Beach
on how the federal dollars would get spent. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“State officials did not always establish and maintain financial and
administrative controls to ensure efficient and effective program
administration,” the audit report reads. “We attribute these conditions
to State officials not placing sufficient emphasis on ensuring
compliance with all procurement requirements.”<br />
<br />
Montoya’s office brushed off Cuomo’s criticism.<br />
<br />
“We believe that the audit speaks for itself, period,” said spokesman
Darryl J. Madden. “Throughout the audit process the state was given
ample opportunity to comment on our findings and results.”</blockquote>
<br />
Another scathing audit, this time federal, but same lame defense tactic from Cuomo - the audit's bullshit, it wasn't done right, we did everything we were supposed to do, etc.<br />
<br />
But notice, Cuomo never uses any facts, figures or hard data in his defense against these audits - all we get are personal attacks and diversionary tactics.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.lohud.com/story/news/politics/politics-on-the-hudson/2016/08/03/lawmakers-cuomo-start-up-ny/87998944/">The audits came on the heels of a legislative hearing that took another signature Cuomo economic development program to task - the infamous START-UP NY program:</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
ALBANY - Gov. Andrew Cuomo's top economic-development official on
Wednesday bemoaned a wave of skepticism surrounding Start-Up NY, a state
program that <a href="http://www.lohud.com/story/news/politics/blogs/vote-up/2016/07/01/report-start-up-ny-few-jobs/86618486/">created just 408 new jobs in its first two years</a> despite a $53 million advertising campaign.<br />
<br />
<div class="">
Over
more than two hours of questioning, a bipartisan group of state
Assembly members grilled Empire State Development President and CEO
Howard Zemsky about the much-debated jobs program at a hearing
Wednesday on the state's efforts to boost its economy.</div>
<div class="">
<br /></div>
<div class="">
Zemsky
was defiant as lawmakers repeatedly questioned the effectiveness of the
Start-Up program, which allows qualifying businesses to operate free of
state and local taxes for a decade if they set up shop in
pre-determined zones, mostly at State University of New York campuses.</div>
<div class="">
<br /></div>
<div class="">
He
repeatedly characterized Start-Up as a single "tool" in the state's
economic-development "toolbox" and suggested criticism of the program is
outsized and unfounded.</div>
<div class="">
<br /></div>
<div class="">
...</div>
<div class="">
</div>
<div class="">
Cuomo and state lawmakers approved the Start-Up program in 2013, and the <a class="" href="http://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/2015/04/07/watchdog-start-ny-ads-cost-taxpayers/25429449/">state spent $53 million promoting it with television advertisements in and out of state</a> in
2014 and early 2015. The governor referred to the program as a
potential "game-changer" and "catalyst for economic development" in
upstate New York.</div>
<div class="">
<br /></div>
<div class="">
Empire State Development, which oversees the program, faced significant criticism after it was three months late in releasing <a class="" href="https://www.scribd.com/document/320088308/2015-ESD-Business-Incentives-Report">a required annual report</a> on Start-Up's progress.</div>
<div class="">
<br /></div>
<div class="">
That report, which was <a class="" href="http://www.lohud.com/story/news/politics/blogs/vote-up/2016/07/05/start-up-ny-report-released-late-friday/86716876/">ultimately released on the Friday evening ahead of the July 4 weekend</a>,
showed the program created 332 new jobs in 2015, on top of 76 in its
first year. The legally required information on Start-Up was confined to
a few pages and a footnote within a broader report on the state's
economic development program.</div>
</blockquote>
<br />
<br />
$53 million dollars, 408 jobs - but the Cuomo administration defends the program, calling criticism of the program outsized and unfounded.<br />
<br />
Let's see, $53 million divided by 408 is $129,901 a job - yeah, that's quite an achievement in economic development.<br />
<br />
How anybody defends that kind of program with a straight face is beyond me, but that's what you have to do if you're a member of the Cuomo administration and you've got all these failures on your hands and independent officials and/or entities scrutinizing them (as opposed to the Cuomo shills Cuomo is used to having prop up his record for him.)<br />
<br />
In addition to all of this, the criminal investigation into another Cuomo economic development program, the Buffalo Billion Project, continues apace, with one former Cuomo crony, Todd Howe, <a href="http://nypost.com/2016/08/08/cuomo-crony-spills-for-leniency-deal-in-corruption-probe/">reported to have dropped a dime on other Cuomo cronies</a>, including former top Cuomo aide Joe Percoco and SUNY Poly head Alain Kaloyeros.<br />
<br />
When the indictments in that case come down, Cuomo will be the subject of another scathing expose into his economic development program expertise, this one at the hands of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District, but I'm sure we'll get defense tactics out of Cuomo similar to the one's detailed above here.<br />
<br />
Which brings me, finally, to my point about teacher evaluations here in New York State under Governor Cuomo. <br />
<br />
Not so long ago, Cuomo claimed the old teacher evaluation system in New York State was too easy for teachers, not enough teachers were being declared ineffective and the whole thing needed an overhaul.<br />
<br />
So, overhaul it got, though no one is quite sure what the overhaul has in it - Cuomo used the same numerical illiteracy he uses in his economic development programs for this new "scientific" teacher evaluation system.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.chalkbeat.org/posts/ny/2016/06/10/new-york-states-teacher-evaluations-arent-going-anywhere-in-fact-theyre-getting-a-makeover-that-nobody-planned/#.V7W-k6LFl6Q">And the best catch is, budget funds for schools are tied to the whole mess: </a><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
School districts are still on the hook to evaluate every teacher, the
results can still be used to make decisions about educators’ futures,
and a 2015 law is about to require a host of new rules. And with just
days left in this year’s legislative session, it’s becoming clear that
Gov. Andrew Cuomo has little desire to see that change.<br />
<br />
“This is a major issue that is right now going ignored,” State
Senator Todd Kaminsky said. “People are saying it’s a time-out and it’s
not.”<br />
<br />
The strange situation came about because <a href="http://www.chalkbeat.org/posts/ny/2015/04/01/after-rancorous-debate-lawmakers-begrudgingly-pass-big-changes-to-evaluations/#.V1n9t1cd6L8">legislators passed a law</a>
overhauling the state’s teacher evaluation system last year to put more
emphasis on state tests — and then education policymakers <a href="http://www.chalkbeat.org/posts/ny/2015/12/14/breaking-in-big-shift-regents-vote-to-exclude-state-tests-from-teacher-evals-until-2019/#.V1l6ulcd6L8">walked it back</a>, banning state test results from being used altogether.<br />
<br />
Lawmakers were responding to Cuomo’s view that <a href="http://www.chalkbeat.org/posts/ny/2015/12/14/92-percent-of-city-teachers-earn-high-marks-in-newest-round-of-evaluations/#.V1n-CVcd6L8">too many teachers</a>
were earning top ratings. The state education department was listening
to a growing movement of educators and parents upset about the growing
influence of state tests.<br />
<br />
In the end, the state education department decided teachers <a href="http://www.chalkbeat.org/posts/ny/2015/12/18/heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-latest-teacher-evaluation-changes/#.V1mLcFcd6L8">would get two evaluations</a>.
Next year, one will include state test scores but have no consequences.
The real evaluations will use different metrics and can affect teacher
tenure and firing.<br />
<br />
Within those frameworks, districts and their teachers unions will
have to agree on key details and those negotiations are ongoing.<br />
<br />
“We are working with districts across the state to support their
efforts as they complete their contract negotiations and to provide them
as much flexibility as possible within the law,” State Commissioner
MaryEllen Elia said.<br />
<br />
But many had hoped that lawmakers would agree to scrap the
universally unpopular 2015 law by now, making it unnecessary for
districts to negotiate the details of the two new plans at all. So far,
that hasn’t happened — and since there are just three days left in the
legislative session, few think change is on the way.<br />
<br />
“The big hangup is obviously the governor’s office,” said Assemblyman
Edward Ra, who supports repealing last year’s law. “It really creates a
little bit of a mess for everybody.” (Officials from Cuomo’s office did
not say whether the governor would support changes to teacher
evaluations.) </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Now, it’s up to school districts like New York City to work out the
details of new evaluation plans with their teachers unions. Barring a
big change in the next few days, they are facing a tight timeline: They
need an agreement by Sept. 1 or they risk losing state funds. </blockquote>
<br />
What a mess - a Cuomo-created mess - and yet, somehow this child-man remains in power, wasting hundreds of millions of
dollars, issuing idiotic attacks and lame defenses when those
expenditures are scrutinized, and continuing on to do more an more
damage to the state.<br />
<br />
One thing is pretty certain from all of this: <br />
<br />
We have yet to get an independent audit of Cuomo's education policies that he's imposed on the state via the budget process (including teacher evaluations), but you can bet that if/when we get one, it will be as scathing as the ones we got on his economic development programs.reality-based educatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01712885202661371924noreply@blogger.com111tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628172601886929098.post-73739522539150488332016-08-11T10:40:00.000-04:002016-08-11T11:00:11.784-04:00Cuomo Looks To Take Out De Blasio In Election But Ought To Be Looking Over His Own Shoulder<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/11/nyregion/weakened-de-blasio-may-be-vulnerable-to-3rd-party-bid-by-a-democrat.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fnyregion&action=click&contentCollection=nyregion&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront">This showed up in the NY Times today:</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="232" data-total-count="232">
Maybe it was Mayor <a class="meta-per" href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/d/bill_de_blasio/index.html?inline=nyt-per" title="More articles about Bill De Blasio.">Bill de Blasio</a>’s rough week at the <a class="meta-org" href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/d/democratic_national_convention/index.html?inline=nyt-org" title="More articles about Democratic National Convention">Democratic National Convention</a>, when he was <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/28/nyregion/mayor-de-blasio-in-low-key-role-sticks-to-script-at-democratic-convention.html">relegated to a daytime speaking slot</a> and upstaged by his archrival, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, and his predecessor, Michael R. Bloomberg.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="232" data-total-count="232">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="270" data-total-count="502">
Maybe
it was the drumbeat of bad news related to the multiple federal and
state investigations swirling around City Hall. Or maybe it was a <a href="https://www.qu.edu/news-and-events/quinnipiac-university-poll/new-york-city/release-detail?ReleaseID=2369">recent </a><a href="https://www.qu.edu/news-and-events/quinnipiac-university-poll/new-york-city/release-detail?ReleaseID=2369">poll</a> suggesting that half of New York City voters believe Mr. de Blasio does not deserve to be re-elected to a second term.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="270" data-total-count="502">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="236" data-total-count="738">
Whatever
the reason, members of New York’s political class have turned their
attention to the 2017 mayoral race, or more precisely, to the question
of whether Mr. de Blasio will even face a serious challenge when he
seeks re-election.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="236" data-total-count="738">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="248" data-total-count="986">
While
the recent poll, released this month by Quinnipiac University, found
that a majority of respondents disapprove of Mr. de Blasio’s performance
as mayor, none of his obvious potential opponents fared well against
him in hypothetical matchups.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="248" data-total-count="986">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="268" data-total-count="1254">
The
poll’s findings, however, suggested that there may be an opportunity
for a Democrat running as an independent against Mr. de Blasio in the
general election, perhaps after a strong but losing run in the
Democratic primary or after skipping the primary altogether.</div>
</blockquote>
<br />
The piece goes on to suggest that one third party option against de Blasio in the general could be - wait for it - Cuomo's fake women's party:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="492" data-total-count="1746" id="story-continues-1">
The poll results showed that Mr. de Blasio would handily beat two prospective challengers — <a class="meta-per" href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/q/christine_c_quinn/index.html?inline=nyt-per" title="More articles about Christine C. Quinn.">Christine C. Quinn</a>, the former City Council speaker who ran against him in 2013, and the city comptroller, <a class="meta-per" href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/s/scott_m_stringer/index.html?inline=nyt-per" title="More articles about Scott M. Stringer.">Scott M. Stringer</a>
— in a primary. But it also showed a closer race if either Ms. Quinn or
Mr. Stringer ran as an independent in the general election, although
the survey’s questions did not reflect the presence of a Republican
candidate, which may have affected some voters’ responses.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="492" data-total-count="1746" id="story-continues-1">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="343" data-total-count="2089">
“I
am certain somebody somewhere is going to challenge the mayor,” said
Rachel Demarest Gold, acting state chairwoman of the Women’s Equality
Party, a third party closely aligned with Mr. Cuomo. “He is a
lightning-rod mayor and he has whipped up extreme feelings on both ends
of the spectrum and people are going to respond to that.”</div>
</blockquote>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="343" data-total-count="2089">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="343" data-total-count="2089">
The Women's Equality Party (WEP) is not just a third party aligned with Cuomo - it's a third party created by Cuomo as retaliation against the Working Families Party (WFP) for humiliating him back in 2014 and forcing him to grovel for the WFP endorsement.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="343" data-total-count="2089">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="343" data-total-count="2089">
The idea was, WEP would end up on the ballot near WFP and confuse just enough voters to drive down WFP support and, maybe, drive down enough support to force WFP from the ballot next time around.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="343" data-total-count="2089">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="343" data-total-count="2089">
That didn't happen, but now we see WEP, Cuomo's fake women's party, being floated as the possible vehicle for a de Blasio challenger - clearly a gambit by Cuomo to convince somebody to run third party against de Blasio since, at least so far, de Blasio appears fairly strong against direct party challengers within the Democratic Party.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="343" data-total-count="2089">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="343" data-total-count="2089">
Cuomo is spending an awful lot of time trying to take out de Blasio, <a href="http://nypost.com/2016/01/03/cuomo-is-desperate-to-take-down-de-blasio-in-2017/">as was reported by Fred Dicker in the NY Post a while back</a>, and this WEP gambit appears to be just one more attempt at that. </div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="343" data-total-count="2089">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="343" data-total-count="2089">
But even as Cuomo plays games with de Blasio, he has his own potential challenger on the horizon for 2018 - Tom DiNapoli, the New York Comptroller.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="343" data-total-count="2089">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="343" data-total-count="2089">
<a href="http://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/dinapoli-poor-oversight-in-cuomo-s-jobs-tax-break-program-1.12015068">DiNapoli has released multiple audits this year</a> questioning the effectiveness of Cuomo's economic development programs and the veracity of the PR Cuomo uses to sell them - <a href="http://www.nystateofpolitics.com/2016/08/cuomo-swipes-at-legislature-dinapoli-for-questioning-economic-development/">something that apparently irks King Cuomo and came to a head this week:</a></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="343" data-total-count="2089">
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
In Buffalo on Tuesday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo criticized state lawmakers
and Comptroller Tom DiNapoli for expressing skepticism over the
effectiveness of his economic development spending upstate.<br />
<br />
Cuomo, who has long had a truculent relationship with DiNapoli, a
fellow Democrat, said the comptroller was “dead wrong” on the issue of
tax breaks for jobs and “should educate himself in the area.”<br />
<br />
“You will not attract jobs, you will not keep jobs unless you are
willing to work with the private sector and incentivize them,” Cuomo
said. “This is not a highly competitive arena. If we are not as
competitive, we will lose to the other states.”<br />
<br />
DiNapoli’s office has issued a series of critical audits and reports
questioning Cuomo’s handling of the START-UP NY program, which provides a
decade of tax-free operations in New York for companies that move to
the state and create jobs.<br />
<br />
The program has come under scrutiny after a report found only 400 or
so jobs have been created so far despite the heavy spending for the
effort.<br />
<br />
But Cuomo insisted the tax breaks were necessary in order to compete with other states who have similar programs in place.<br />
<br />
“The incentives are working and the incentives are working by definition by what it requires to win,” he said.<br />
<br />
DiNapoli, in a statement, responded to Cuomo’s criticisms.<br />
<br />
“There is no debate on the need to create jobs in New York,” he said.
“Our audits have thoughtful, constructive recommendations for how New
York’s economic development programs can be more effective.”</blockquote>
<br />
Perhaps further irking Cuomo, DiNapoli has been making the rounds on the radio and appearing with hosts that, well, let's just say might be DiNapoli's way of sending a message to Cuomo:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
Enjoyed talking this week with <a href="https://twitter.com/nypost">@NYPost</a>’s Fred Dicker <a href="https://twitter.com/fud31">@fud31</a> on NY’s jobs programs and economic forecast. Listen: <a href="https://t.co/nVvx2PFL1Z">https://t.co/nVvx2PFL1Z</a></div>
— Tom DiNapoli (@NYSComptroller) <a href="https://twitter.com/NYSComptroller/status/761728022869217280">August 6, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
Oh my. Cuomo's 2014 opponent interviewing DiNapoli, whom Cuomo does not care much for. <a href="https://t.co/N82W6RO9O0">https://t.co/N82W6RO9O0</a></div>
— Jon Campbell (@JonCampbellGAN) <a href="https://twitter.com/JonCampbellGAN/status/763716235007823872">August 11, 2016</a></blockquote>
<br />
There was talk during the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia that Bernie Sanders supporters are looking for a challenger to take out Cuomo in the 2018 primary.<br />
<br />
DiNapoli is starting to look like he could be that challenger.<br />
<br />
How delicious the irony, even as Cuomo desperately works to find a challenger to take on de Blasio in 2017, he appears to be getting his own challenger in 2018.<br />
<br />
Now here's the thing about all of this.<br />
<br />
Until we know how the various federal investigations into de Blasio turn out, we're not going to see any prominent Dem (e.g., Stringer, Diaz Jr.) make any public moves to primary de Blasio - the Q poll shows the potential futility of taking on de Blasio directly in the primary, at least for now.<br />
<br />
But if indictments come to de Blasio's inner circle, that will change but quick and if de Blasio is indicted himself, well, put the fork in him.<br />
<br />
The machinations against de Blasio here, from Cuomo behind the scenes, from Bloomberg crony Bradley Tusk publicly, make for a good summer story in the NY Times, but I'm not sure how meaningful any of it is until we get some resolution from US Attorney Preet Bharara on de Blasio.<br />
<br />
The same can be said for Cuomo.<br />
<br />
Bharara is investigating many of those Cuomo economic development programs the governor loves to tout and news came early this week that one of his cronies, lobbyist Todd Howe, <a href="http://nypost.com/2016/08/08/cuomo-crony-spills-for-leniency-deal-in-corruption-probe/">has made a deal with the feds</a> in return for leniency. Howe has been close to Cuomo since the HUD days and, while the governor has said he isn't really that close with Howe anymore, <a href="http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2016/08/cuomo-associate-has-cooperation-deal.html">news reports (and photographs) suggest otherwise.</a><br />
<br />
If/when indictments come to Cuomo's inner circle, the prognosis for Cuomo's 2018 re-election gets a little murkier, especially if the US attorney takes apart Cuomo's economic development programs as little but a cash register for Cuomo cronies like Todd Howe and former aide Joe Percoco.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2016/05/fred-lebrun-bharara-is-focused-on.html">There also remains the possibility that Cuomo himself is the ultimate target of these investigations</a>, since many of Cuomo's donors have been subpoenaed and the pattern - <a href="http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2016/06/its-pay-to-play-all-way-with-andrew.html">"donate to Cuomo = get state contract/tax break/favors in return"</a> remains in play in many of these instances.<br />
<br />
In the end, I think we'll know fairly soon what's going to happen with de Blasio and Cuomo regarding the Bharara investigations. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2016/05/public-will-hear-something-on-cuomo.html">There was a report in Dicker's column in the Post</a> that the public would get some inkling of what's going on in the Cuomo investigations by the end of the summer. With the election coming soon, the likelihood is we'll get some inkling on de Blasio too.<br />
<br />
But until Bharara makes his moves, all of the 2017 and 2018 jockeying is little more than noise. <br />
<br />
You know, the kind of shit Cuomo is best at.<br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>reality-based educatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01712885202661371924noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628172601886929098.post-27099056443879093962016-08-08T09:12:00.001-04:002016-08-08T09:37:19.898-04:00Cuomo Associate Has Cooperation Deal With Preet BhararaHave been waiting post-conventions for some Preet news.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://nypost.com/2016/08/08/cuomo-cronie-spills-for-leniency-deal-in-corruption-probe/">Here is an interesting bit of it:</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The <a href="http://nypost.com/2016/05/09/fbi-raids-homes-of-two-cuomo-cronies-amid-corruption-probe/">corruption probe of Gov. Cuomo’s two longtime associates</a>
has taken a critical turn with Todd Howe, onetime lobbyist and longtime
Cuomo family confidant, signing a “cooperation agreement’’ with US
Attorney Preet Bharara, a source close to the investigation told The
Post.<br />
<br />
The agreement promises Howe, <a href="http://nypost.com/2016/06/05/probed-lobbyist-was-a-member-of-cuomos-inner-circle/">whose ties to Cuomo go back three decades</a>,
“favorable treatment’’ and “leniency’’ in the event that he’s
criminally charged, in exchange for full details of his lobbying
activities on behalf of several major state contractors with senior
Cuomo administration officials. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Those officials include Joseph Percoco, Cuomo’s closest friend and
top aide who is currently senior vice president at Madison Square
Garden, the source said.<br />
<br />
Howe has been interviewed by federal prosecutors “about six times,’’
most recently about two weeks ago, when he “traded something that has to
do with Percoco’’ and provided information on the influential,
Albany-based, Whiteman Osterman & Hanna law firm, with which he had
been affiliated, the source said. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Howe, who worked for Cuomo when the current governor was federal
housing secretary under President Bill Clinton, was described by the
source as isolated from friends and family and disconsolate as Bharara’s
investigation continues to unfold. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“He doesn’t have a job and no one from Andrew Cuomo’s entourage will even deal with him,’’ said the source.</blockquote>
<br />
Cuomo claimed that he didn't have much to do with Howe in the recent past, but <a href="http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2016/05/old_photo_of_cuomo_visit_captures_role_lobbyist_played_in_syracuse_projects.html">Tim Knauss discovered that he was showing up at Cuomo functions</a> like this one:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- A smiling Todd Howe was photographed, standing in
the background, as Gov. Andrew Cuomo enthusiastically shook hands with
the president of COR Development Co. during an October 2012 visit to
Syracuse.<br />
<br />
Four years later, Howe is no longer in the background. The Washington, D.C.-based lobbyist is front and center in a <a href="http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/albany/2016/05/8598650/lobbyist-steered-subpoenaed-companies-cuomo-campaign" target="_blank">federal investigation</a> of Cuomo's Upstate economic development projects, according to published reports.<br />
<br />
Another person named in the federal probe is Joseph Percoco, Cuomo's
former executive deputy secretary, who appears with Howe in the
background of the 2012 photo from Syracuse.<br />
<br />
The photo was taken during sunnier times for Cuomo's Upstate economic
initiatives, years before U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara's investigation
raised a cloud of suspicion.<br />
<br />
The picture captures the role that Howe has apparently been playing
for years in Syracuse economic development projects. Since the federal
probe became publicly known, Howe's image has emerged as an affable guy
to see for help in getting state funding or access to Albany power.<br />
<br />
In the foreground of the 2012 photo, Cuomo shakes hands with Steven
Aiello, president of COR, a Fayetteville company. COR is one of more
than 20 companies about which Bharara has subpoenaed information from
the Cuomo administration, according to reports.</blockquote>
<br />
<a href="http://nypost.com/2016/05/13/probed-lobbyist-was-a-hand-model-for-mario-cuomos-portrait/">Howe was also used as the "hand model" for Mario Cuomo's portrait in Albany:</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
ALBANY — Gov. Cuomo claims he barely knows a fired lobbyist under
federal investigation — yet he was close enough to the family to be the
secret hand model behind Mario Cuomo’s official portrait, The Post has
learned.<br />
<br />
The liberal legend Mario had scoffed for years at having his likeness
hung among the Empire State’s other leaders, so Andrew went behind his
back to have the work secretly created from a 1989 photograph.<br />
<br />
But the artist demanded it include Mario’s hands clasped on his knee, even though the photo didn’t clearly show his mitts.<br />
<br />
“The artist insisted that he needed to see the Governors [sic] hands
to paint them,” Howard Glaser, Andrew’s former director of state
operations and Mario’s senior advisor, wrote in a private Facebook post
obtained by The Post.<br />
<br />
Enter Todd Howe, who is being probed by the feds for lobbying work he
did for three firms that are part of the Cuomo administration’s
economic-development program, the Buffalo Billion. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
He raced down to the painter’s Maryland studio and literally lent a hand.<br />
<br />
“The artist painted Todd’s hands into the painting to complete the
work. So, yeah, it’s actually Todd Howes hands you see painted in the
final portrait!!!!! Classic!” Glaser wrote.<br />
<br />
Peter Cutler, a former Cuomo spokesman who is also named in a federal
subpoena, replied, “Todd told me, saying it was pretty nerve-wracking —
as I’m sure we can all understand,” he wrote.<br />
<br />
“Thank God GAMC [Governor Andrew Mark Cuomo] pushed to get the portrait done & installed.”<br />
<br />
The artist, Simmie Knox — who also did official portraits for
then-President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary — recalled Howe
giving guidance on how they wanted the painting done, but clammed up
when he found out that the lobbyist was under a federal probe.<br />
<br />
Gov. Andrew Cuomo presented the painting to his dad as a birthday gift at a 2012 ceremony. </blockquote>
<br />
Cuomo distanced himself from Howe <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/11/nyregion/cuomo-distances-himself-from-lobbyist-at-center-of-inquiry.html?_r=1">in May</a> and <a href="http://www.syracuse.com/state/index.ssf/2016/06/cuomo_lobbyist_todd_howe_not_a_close_friend_despite_multiple_connections.html">in June</a>, claiming he and Howe were not "close."<br />
<br />
The record appears to contradict that Cuomo assertion.<br />
<br />
Whether Howe is telling tales on Cuomo or just providing evidence against Percoco and the entities involved in state contracting, well, that's hard to say. <br />
<br />
Fred Dicker's piece says Howe is promised "'favorable treatment' and 'leniency' in the event that he’s
criminally charged, in exchange for full details of his lobbying
activities on behalf of several major state contractors <i>with senior
Cuomo administration officials."</i><br />
<br />
The phrase leaves "senior Cuomo administration officials" is the interesting thing there.<br />
<br />
That may mean people around Cuomo, or previously around Cuomo (like Percoco.)<br />
<br />
But, since Cuomo has been known to leak anonymously to the press under the moniker "a senior Cuomo administration official," it also could mean Cuomo himself.<br />
<br />
Time will tell whether Cuomo is actually the target of all of this or if Bharara gets to his inner circle without touching Cuomo himself.<br />
<br />
So far, we have no direct indication that Cuomo is in any legal jeopardy.<br />
<br />
But you can bet that if the Cuomo people didn't already know that Bharara has Howe wrapped up with a cooperation agreement, they're not happy now that the news is in Dicker's column in the NY Post.<br />
<br />
Because who knows what Howe is telling Bharara now that he's cooperating. reality-based educatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01712885202661371924noreply@blogger.com249tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628172601886929098.post-91372924326228359272016-07-14T08:04:00.001-04:002016-07-14T08:04:11.885-04:00Quid Pro Cuomo's Fundraising Track Record: Collect Cash, Dish Out Favors, Contracts And Legislation<a href="http://www.politico.com/states/new-york/albany/story/2016/07/nearly-all-cuomo-money-comes-from-donors-with-business-before-his-office-103795">Bill Mahoney at Politico NY</a> anticipates Governor Cuomo's release of his last six months of fundraising with an analysis of last year's haul:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
POLITICO New York examined each of the 454 checks Cuomo collected in
last year’s July filing period. More than 90 percent of his money, or
$4.5 million of the $5 million he raised, came from advocates for
legislation or donors with business directly before the state. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
This includes $268,250 from registered lobbyists and the firms for which
they work. Clients for these lobbyists accounted for an additional $2
million, and companies that were identified as recipients of executive
branch contracts by the comptroller’s Open Book New York site gave
$393,500. The rest of the money primarily came from appointees to
various state posts, companies that received contracts from authorities
or individuals who were the principal funders of lobbying campaigns. </blockquote>
<br />
Mahoney shows how Cuomo collected the money at roughly the same time he was doling out favors, contracts or legislation in return.<br />
<br />
For example: <br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The Cleveland-based NRP group was one of two companies involved in an
affordable housing development in Corning. On May 12, the governor <a href="http://www.the-leader.com/article/20150512/NEWS/150519851" target="_blank">announced</a>
a $4.7 million state grant for the development. On May 13, the
developer gave $25,000 to the governor. (In Cuomo’s first term, that
company loaned the governor a <a href="http://news.wbfo.org/post/cleveland-development-group-supports-cuomo-wrankles-mayor#stream/0" target="_blank">private jet</a> for campaign purposes and it <a href="https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-announces-95-million-build-affordable-housing-across-state" target="_blank">received</a> $3.3 million to construct housing in Ballston). </blockquote>
<br />
Or this: <br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
New York State Homes and Community Renewal joined MacQuestern Development to <a href="http://mountvernon.dailyvoice.com/real-estate/mount-vernon-breaks-ground-on-affordable-housing-project/527542/" target="_blank">break ground on a Mount Vernon project</a>
on March 27; the company and its executives gave Cuomo $30,000 over the
succeeding five days and an additional $30,000 in July. </blockquote>
<br /><div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<br />Or this:</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
An executive at Triangle Equities, to whom the <a href="http://www.politico.com/states/new-york/albany/story/2015/12/after-senate-objects-state-holds-off-on-staten-island-project-029288" target="_blank">Cuomo administration proposed</a> giving $16.5 million in subsidies for work in Staten Island, gave $25,000. And as the Times Union <a href="http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Builder-linked-to-top-Cuomo-donors-got-tax-deals-6588927.php" target="_blank">previously reported</a>,
Steven Aaron — whose LLCs gave the governor $25,000 during this
six-month stretch and much more in prior years — received millions from
the Division of Housing and Community Renewal for work in Schoharie
after Cuomo-appointed commissioner Darryl Towns “bypassed competing
projects that had higher recommendations from his staff.” </blockquote>
<br />
There's a lot more - read the whole piece.<br />
<br />
Some of the contributions Mahoney details are ones we've heard about before - like the $250K Cuomo took from multiple LLC's linked to a Kiryas Joel developer at the same time he was vetoing legislation the developer wanted vetoed or the education reformer/hedge fundie money he was taking at the same time he was pushing through "reforms" to the system.<br />
<br />
The governor says he is not swayed by any of these donations in the least.<br />
<br />
But the message here is pretty clear here.<br />
<br />
If you want the governor to do something for you, pay him. </div>
reality-based educatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01712885202661371924noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628172601886929098.post-57376456243078238622016-07-07T12:53:00.002-04:002016-07-07T13:04:36.590-04:00Congress Probes Cuomo Adminstration's Handling Of Hoosick Falls Water Crisis<a href="http://www.politico.com/states/new-york/albany/story/2016/07/congressional-oversight-committee-seeking-cuomo-administration-communication-on-hoosick-falls-103592">This is very, very good news:</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
ALBANY — A congressional oversight committee has requested documents
from the Cuomo administration and the federal Environmental Protection
Agency related to toxic chemical pollution in Hoosick Falls.<br />
<br />
On Wednesday, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform sent a <a href="http://static.politico.com/0f/fd/42ecfa2c4865aa54988431793a9b/oversight-committee-letter-to-cuomo.pdf" target="_blank">letter</a> to Gov. Andrew Cuomo seeking all of the administration’s documents and communications related to Hoosick Falls and PFOA. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
In the letter, Rep. Jason Chaffetz of Utah, who chairs the oversight
committee, and Rep. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, who chairs the
Subcommittee on the Interior, questioned why state and county officials
improperly assured local residents that their water was safe, when
federal regulators <a href="http://www.politico.com/states/new-york/albany/story/2016/06/new-documents-show-cuomo-administration-dismissal-of-epa-warnings-on-hoosick-falls-102373" target="_blank">warned of the health risks</a>. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“It raises serious questions that the county and state would continue
to assure residents the water was safe to drink even though the federal
government had already warned residents to the contrary,” he wrote.
“The Committee is seeking information as to why the state and county
delayed in acknowledging the health risks of PFOA exposure in Hoosick
Falls and continued to provide the public with false and confusing
information.”</blockquote>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<br />
Cuomo has done his best to stonewall questions into his administration's handling of this health crisis by having his cronies in both the state Assembly and state Senate put the kibbosh on public hearings into the mess.<br />
<br />
That stonewall began to crumble when Senators Schumer and Gillibrand both called for hearings (and Gillibrand is holding a forum in Hoosick Falls tomorrow), then crumble further when Assembly Dems put hearings on the schedule for September.<br />
<br />
With Congress now probing Cuomo's handling of the matter, there is a high likelihood we will get some light shed on this crisis, who knew what when, who took action to help with the contamination and who took action to keep the lid on it.<br />
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
That is a good thing.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
As Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin put it today:</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
The <a href="https://twitter.com/NYGovCuomo">@NYGovCuomo</a> admin can no longer run from their incredibly poor and inept judgement. Time for facts to come out of who knew what & when</div>
— Steve McLaughlin (@SteveMcNY) <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveMcNY/status/751060183955173376">July 7, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
If for 18 months someone ignored telling NYers they were drinking toxic water & then expected not to be held accountable, they’re delusional</div>
— Steve McLaughlin (@SteveMcNY) <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveMcNY/status/751059938328342528">July 7, 2016</a></blockquote>
<br />
The probe does not say there will be hearings, but bet that if the Cuomo administration's handling of this crisis turns out to be as egregious as it appears from the outside, there will be.<br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
reality-based educatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01712885202661371924noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628172601886929098.post-89294389636517985032016-07-06T06:38:00.000-04:002016-07-06T06:38:15.445-04:00John Flanagan Rakes In $150K In Outside Income Despite Claims To The Contrary<a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/state-sen-john-flanagan-earned-100g-old-firm-article-1.2700400">Go get him, Preet:</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
ALBANY — Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan earned up to $150,000
last year from a Long Island law firm despite claims that he was giving
up his outside legal work, according to documents made public Tuesday.<br />
<br />
Flanagan's 2015 financial disclosure statement showed that he earned
between $100,000 and $150,000 from Forchelli, Curto, Deegan, Schwartz,
Mineo & Terrana in Uniondale — the same amount he reported earning
in 2014.<br />
<br />
After he became majority leader in May of 2015, Flanagan (R-Suffolk
County) told reporters that he’d stopped working for the firm to fully
concentrate on his legislative job.<br />
<br />
Flanagan spokesman Scott Reif insisted that Flanagan has not done any “active legal work” since becoming majority leader.</blockquote>
<br />
Must be nice to do "no active work" and still make an extra $150K a year.<br />
<br />
According to the DN, Flanagan's disclosure claimed:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
that he did not provide
“direct services” to clients in 2015. Instead he provided “indirect
services to the law firm in the areas of corporate trusts, tax
certiorari, wills and estate, land use and planning.”</blockquote>
<br />
I bet if somebody with subpoena power were so inclined, he/she could look to see just how much "indirect service" Flanagan provided for the $150K.reality-based educatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01712885202661371924noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628172601886929098.post-57915698182695574252016-07-05T08:28:00.001-04:002016-07-05T08:32:02.236-04:00Cuomo Closely Tied To Politico Indicted For Bribery/Extortion<a href="http://nypost.com/2016/07/04/cuomo-closely-tied-to-operative-indicted-for-bribery-report/">Fred Dicker reported</a> Governor Cuomo's close ties to indicted Western New York power broker Steven Pigeon in yesterday's New York Post, noting that Pigeon was so tied to Cuomo last election cycle that the governor had him attending both election strategy and policy meetings:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Cuomo was so close to Pigeon — charged last week with nine felonies
in connection with the alleged bribing of a state Supreme Court justice —
that he gave him a key role in his 2014 re-election campaign despite
objections from more important political aides like Joseph Percoco and
Larry Schwartz, who considered him “untrustworthy and a little sleazy,’’
a source close to the campaign told The Post.<br />
<br />
Cuomo directed Percoco, the focus of an ongoing probe by
corruption-fighting US Attorney Preet Bharara, and Schwartz, Cuomo’s
former chief of staff, and a handful of other trusted aides to allow
Pigeon to attend key strategy meetings at the campaign headquarters from
which virtually all other political operatives were excluded, said the
campaign source. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“They objected, but the governor forced Pigeon on them,’’ according
to the source. “At first Pigeon started to just show up at campaign
strategy meetings, even though no one knew who had invited him to come. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“But it turned out that it was the governor who invited him to be
there because the governor had come to believe that Pigeon was some kind
of a political genius,’’ said the source.<br />
<br />
Cuomo sought re-election obsessed with racking up a big vote in
Buffalo and Erie County, Pigeon’s bailiwick, which he had lost four
years earlier to Republican Carl Paladino, the source said. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Pigeon, the longtime Erie County Democratic chairman, “was the guy
who Andrew was taking counsel from as to how to win in Buffalo this time
around, but he was also taking his counsel on broader statewide
issues,’’ the source said.<br />
<br />
A second source said Cuomo was so close to Pigeon that in 2010, Gov.
David Paterson refused to allow then-Attorney General Cuomo to name a
special prosecutor to investigate election-related corruption charges
being made against Pigeon — because he felt Cuomo “couldn’t be trusted
to authorize a fair probe.’’<br />
<br />
“Everyone knew at that time how close Cuomo was to Pigeon,’’ said the source.</blockquote>
<br />
Dicker writes that Cuomo was partly behind the 2009 Senate coup by turncoat Dems that Pigeon helped engineer, with Cuomo and Pigeon in close communication as the coup unfolded and control of the state Senate went to Republicans after turncoat Dems like Pedro Espada and Hiram Montserrate threw their lots in with Republicans (both men ended up in prison for corruption charges unrelated to the state Senate coup.)<br />
<br />
Just as Cuomo has tried to distance himself from his former aide and lobbyist pal, Todd Howe (now squarely in the sights of federal prosecutors for corruption), Cuomo wants to distance himself from the now-indicted Steve Pigeon and make believe like he barely knows him.<br />
<br />
But the record, when fully examined, shows Cuomo was as close as could be with both Pigeon and Howe <a href="http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2016/06/cuomo-i-am-not-close-friends-with-that.html">(see here how Howe kept showing up at Cuomo functions and/or raising money for the governor simultaneous to the time Cuomo claims not to know what Howe was doing.)</a><br />
<br />
Same goes for Pigeon - <a href="http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2016/06/cuomo-ally-to-be-arrested-for-bribery.html">see the Buffalo News piece on Pigeon from 2013 as well as yesterday's Dicker piece. </a><br />
<br />
You can bet if investigators look real close at the Cuomo relationships with his corrupt associates - Pigeon, Howe, former aide Joe Percoco, SUNY Poly head Alain Kaloyeros - they will find some interesting things, some of which may turn out to be criminal.<br />
<br />
Whether they go that far, well, that's hard to say.<br />
<br />
But Preet Bharara has warned executive branches in the state that malfeasance in the executive will be rooted out.<br />
<br />
So Cuomo shouldn't get to comfortable thinking all he's got to do to keep himself from scrutiny is just keep repeated "I don't know these people, I don't know these people..."reality-based educatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01712885202661371924noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628172601886929098.post-82418472274590707662016-07-04T08:50:00.000-04:002016-07-04T08:50:34.373-04:00Cuomo Crony Scene Right Out Of Goodfellas<a href="http://nypost.com/2016/07/04/cuomo-pal-ran-payoff-scheme-at-elderly-moms-home-source/">The NY Post says this scene is right out of The Sopranos, but I see Goodfellas as the better comparison:</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
ALBANY — Like a scene from “The Sopranos,” a <a href="http://nypost.com/2016/07/01/cuomo-pal-pleads-not-guilty-to-offering-judge-10k-in-bribes/">political operative busted by the state Attorney General’s Office</a>
held secret meetings at his elderly mother’s house and had a campaign
worker paid with grocery bags stuffed with cash, a former upstate
prosecutor told The Post.<br />
<br />
Steve Pigeon — a Buffalo-area Democrat — had a waterfront condo but
the neighborhood was also home to a number of judges, so he conducted
his shady business at his mom’s, according to former Erie County
prosecutor Mark Sacha.<br />
<br />
“It was like ‘The Sopranos.’ They wanted to hire this phone-bank guy to make calls for a candidate,” Sacha recalled.<br />
<br />
“So, they go to his elderly mother’s house in a quiet suburban
neighborhood in the middle of the night. This is where they agree to
hire the phone-bank guy for $20,000, but the campaign account is drained
so they arrange to deliver cash in grocery bags,” said Sacha, a former
assistant DA who investigated Pigeon three years ago and who is now
running for district attorney.<br />
<br />
...<br />
<br />
Twice, the operative was paid $10,000 stuffed in Tops Supermarket grocery bags, Sacha said.
<br />
“I’ll never forget this phone-bank guy telling me about meeting the
donor [a Pigeon crony] having this ‘hoochie coochie’ girl with him,”
Sacha said.<br />
<br />
“I see no difference between these guys and organized crime, except these guys are corrupting elections,” Sacha said. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
Sources say Pigeon helped Cuomo navigate politics in Western New York
and backed the governor’s unsuccessful first bid for the seat he now
holds. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Through a spokesman, Cuomo denied Pigeon is a close ally.</blockquote>
<br />
Reminds me a little of this scene in Goodfellas where the boys make a late night trip to Tommy's mother's house (sans the not-quite dead Billy Bats, of course):<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3eVqdnDk02Y" width="480"></iframe>
reality-based educatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01712885202661371924noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628172601886929098.post-79431203649687545862016-07-01T09:20:00.003-04:002016-07-01T09:20:49.262-04:00Buffalo Schools General Counsel Linked To Pigeon Bribery/Extortion Case<a href="http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/evidence-shows-tangled-web-involving-judge-unc-steve-20160630">New details on the Steven Pigeon/John Michalek corruption case, with an education angle:</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
A new element from Michalek and Pigeon’s relationship emerged in
court over the last two days – an extortion charge against Pigeon.<br />
<br />
One
of the favors Pigeon allegedly asked from Michalek was for the judge to
appoint a young local attorney as a receiver. Appointment of a receiver
to temporarily manage a business, property or other entity involved in a
foreclosure action or some other litigation can be lucrative for an
attorney, according to legal experts.<br />
<br />
“Depending on the length and
complexity of the litigation, a receivership can earn an attorney
anywhere from a few thousand dollars to six figures,” one knowledgeable
Buffalo attorney told The Buffalo News.<br />
<br />
Michalek admitted in court
that, in 2012, Pigeon asked him to appoint a local lawyer as a receiver
in a case Michalek was handling. The attorney was a recent law school
graduate and had not yet been approved by the state courts as a
qualified receiver. Nonetheless, Michalek gave him the assignment. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“We
pushed it through anyway … have to give them a spec reason etc. … will
figure it out … John,” Michalek emailed to Pigeon in May 2012.<br />
<br />
Later,
according to state prosecutors, Pigeon pressured this receiver to hire
some of Pigeon’s “cronies” to do some work on a property the receiver
was overseeing. The receiver refused to hire the “cronies,” and Pigeon
retaliated by taking $5,000 from the receiver by “extortion,” according
to court papers.<br />
<br />
That receiver was Edward A. Betz, a former Pigeon associate who is now general counsel for the Buffalo Public Schools.<br />
<br />
While
declining to talk in any detail about the receivership or the alleged
extortion, Betz told The News: “My only involvement in this matter is
that I was asked to violate my ethical responsibilities as a receiver,
and I steadfastly refused to do that.”<br />
<br />
While Betz confirmed that
he was the attorney appointed to the receivership, he declined to
address any further questions about the Pigeon case. Sources said he has
cooperated with the state attorney general’s investigation.</blockquote>
<br />
Here's a fun question to ask: How did Betz get the Buffalo schools gig?<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/buffalo-school-board-fires-martin-hires-betz-as-general-counsel-20160106">Here's how:</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
It was several months in the making, but it’s official: Rashondra M.
Martin is out as general counsel for Buffalo Public Schools.<br />
<br />
Edward A. Betz is in.<br />
<br />
After
a closed-door session lasting about an hour and a half Wednesday
evening, the Buffalo Board of Education took only a matter of minutes to
fire Martin and appoint Betz, who was recommended by Superintendent
Kriner Cash.<br />
<br />
The two separate resolutions were supported by board
majority members Jason McCarthy, Carl P. Paladino, Patricia Pierce,
Larry Quinn and Board President James Sampson. The actions were opposed
by the other board members who were present – Sharon Belton-Cottman,
MaryRuth Kapsiak and Barbara Seals Nevergold. Theresa Harris-Tigg was
absent.<br />
<br />
In the end, Martin, who was hired by then-Superintendent
Pamela C. Brown, was fired effective immediately and Cash was given the
green light to negotiate a contract with Betz to take over the position
at an annual salary of $160,000, which is $33,000 more than Martin was
making.<br />
<br />
Prior to voting, Belton-Cottman, Kapsiak and Seals
Nevergold said the termination seemed like “punitive action” against
Martin, who had filed a civil rights complaint against Paladino with the
state Division of Human Rights. It was filed after a February 2015
board meeting in which Martin was asked to give advice on a key matter
of parliamentary procedure. Her response frustrated members of the board
majority, including Paladino, who asked Martin, “How can you be so
ignorant?”<br />
<br />
Terminating Martin was not an act of retaliation,
argued some of the majority members of the board, but rather an issue of
incompetence.<br />
<br />
Paladino said Martin failed to disclose pertinent
and time-sensitive information to the superintendent and the board, and
she has failed to cooperate with Cash.<br />
<br />
Members of the minority
bloc said hiring Betz gave the perception of favoritism because Betz has
no experience in school board law or as a district counsel, and he will
be paid more than Martin was. They also pointed out that Betz was
Quinn’s campaign manager when he won his School Board seat last year,
and represented McCarthy in a matter that went before the state
Education Department. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Members of the majority bloc and Cash
countered that Betz is a former assistant corporation counsel for the
City of Buffalo, a former general counsel for the Erie County Water
Authority, has extensive knowledge of state Civil Service Law and the
Taylor Law and experience in public employee relations matters. </blockquote>
<br />
I'm sure Betz's "extensive knowledge of state Civil Service Law and the Taylor Law and experience in public employee relations matters" was why Betz got the general counsel gig.<br />
<br />
I mean, three and a half years out of law school is a lot of time, you know?<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/buffalo-school-board-fires-martin-hires-betz-as-general-counsel-20160106#comment-2444887293">Here's one commenter on the Betz hire:</a><br />
<br />
<div class="post-message " data-role="message" dir="auto">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
There is no doubt that Martin was incompetent and needed to go.
However, what happened to hiring QUALIFIED candidates? This is yet
another disappointing hire by the superintendent. He continues to hire
every political hack that Quinn and Paladino send his way. (For the
record, I supported Quinn and Paladino until they continued the nepotism
that they vowed to correct.)<br />
<br />
I challenge the Buffalo News and the
Board of Ed to pull the resumes of the attorneys who applied for this
job and then tell me that Betz, a lawyer with NO education law
experience, is the man for the job. Moreover, look into HIS resume and I
think you will find that his qualifications, as noted in this article,
are inaccurate. It is clear that qualifications didn't come into play,
as it was common knowledge that Betz had the job before it was even
posted. I did a little research and Betz isn't some prize lawyer, every
job he has had was given to him as a favor. Take this one for example: <a href="http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?aid=/20120906/cityandregion/120909792" rel="nofollow">http://www.buffalonews.com/app...</a><br />
<br />
As
for the salary, while Martin clearly ended up not being the person for
the job, she was more qualified and paid much less. Explain how that
works?</blockquote>
Follow the link above and you'll find this:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Edward A. Betz, an attorney who has been active in Democratic political
campaigns, was promoted last month on a temporary basis to serve as
associate attorney at a salary of $117,877. Betz previously worked in
the Law Department at Buffalo City Hall and has managed local political
campaigns.</blockquote>
<br />
Pigeon only extorted $5000 from Betz?<br />
<br />
Hell, the number of sweetheart gigs Betz was getting from his connections, he could have hit him up for so much more.<br />
<br />
What a sewer New York is. </div>
reality-based educatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01712885202661371924noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628172601886929098.post-63132443493692532152016-06-30T13:12:00.000-04:002016-06-30T13:58:15.524-04:00Cuomo Ally Pleads Not Guilty To Nine Count Felony Indictment (Update)<a href="http://www.niagara-gazette.com/news/local_news/pigeon-pleads-not-guilty-to-bribery-other-charges/article_7bcc40ca-d0e9-54d9-a770-12055dface36.html">Niagara Gazette:</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
G. Steven Pigeon, a longtime Western New York political operative and
former chairman of the Erie County Democratic Party, pleaded not guilty
Thursday to multiple corruption charges filed in an indictment
announced by New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.<br />
<br />
The
55-year-old political consultant has been charged with bribery in the
second degree, a class C felony; bribery in the third degree, a class D
felony; grand larceny theft by extortion in the third degree, a class D
Felony; and six counts of rewarding official misconduct in the second
degree, a class E felony.<br />
<br />
Pigeon, who appeared in court with his
attorney, Paul Cambria, entered his plea during an arraignment Thursday
morning in front of State Supreme Court Judge Donald F. Cerio, Jr. who
set bail at $10,000 cash or $20,000 bond.<br />
<br />
Following the arraignment, Cambria met with reporters outside
the courtroom where he said Pigeon vehemently denies any wrongdoing and
looks forward to his day in court.<br />
<br />
Pigeon's arraignment follows
Wednesday's guilty plea from former State Supreme Court Justice John A.
Michalek. The 65-year-old Michalek resigned from the bench after
pleading guilty to various charges in what Schneiderman's office has
described as a scheme that involved receiving bribes from Pigeon, and
for filing a false document with the New York State Office of Court
Administration when he appointed a receiver who had been suggested by
Pigeon. Michalek admitted guilt to a pair of felonies, including bribe
receiving in the third degree and offering a false instrument for filing
in the first degree. In addition to entering the plea, Michalek
submitted a letter of resignation to the chief administrative judge,
effective immediately.<br />
<br />
The charges stem from an ongoing public
corruption investigation by the attorney general's office. Schneiderman
is scheduled to hold a press conference this afternoon at his office in
Buffalo to discuss both cases in greater detail.</blockquote>
<br />
<a href="http://politicsnow.buffalonews.com/2016/06/29/judges-guilty-plea-prosecutors-turn-attention-pigeon/">The Buffalo News reported this morning</a> that this case is not likely to end with only Michalek and Pigeon facing criminal charges:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Schneiderman, who investigated Pigeon’s activities based on original
complaints about election law violations, emerged as the only prosecutor
or official in New York State willing to take on the case. And
according to a source familiar with the charge, more counts could be
forthcoming. The source pointed out nothing in this week’s court
proceedings yet addresses the concerns that led Schneiderman’s
investigators, the State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the
FBI in May of 2015 to raid the homes of former Buffalo Deputy Mayor
Steven M. Casey and Christopher M. Grant, former chief of staff to Rep.
Chris Collins, R-Clarence.<br />
<br />
For now, the state focuses its next steps on Pigeon, who has garnered
complaints from political opponents and elections officials for many
years over his controversial methods of raising money for independent
political committees. Much more serious charges now face Michalek and
Pigeon as a result of the original complaints, though those close to the
case say more charges could still be pressed.</blockquote>
<br />
Pigeon's connections to Cuomo are well known and the governor's name even popped up in the indictment:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
In March 2012, Michalek emailed Pigeon regarding a lawsuit pending
before him, providing Pigeon with details concerning a motion filed by a
non-party to the litigation seeking a protective order from a subpoena
served by one of the parties.<br />
<br />
In a written decision issued approximately two weeks later, Michalek
denied the motion for a protective order, just as Pigeon had requested.
Michalek then sent Pigeon an email with a copy of the decision attached
and thanked Pigeon for “his efforts” on behalf of his first relative
looking for a job, the complaint said.<br />
<br />
Pigeon responded by email a short time later with an offer of additional assistance to the relative.<br />
The complaint also indicated that on Dec. 10, 2012, Michalek emailed
Pigeon concerning assistance in securing the Appellate Division
appointment. Michalek wrote: “think there is a seat open in App Div … I
applied … Normally I wouldn’t mention it to you … wonder if you could
help.”<br />
<br />
That same day, Pigeon replied: “I will start talking u up.”<br />
<br />
The documents then indicate that on Jan. 8, 2013, Michalek wrote to
Pigeon: “Unc Steve...How’d you do with the Gov??? ...” Later that day,
Pigeon responded: “Bunch happening ... in albany now... Gov went well
... Talked u up ... Let’s have coffee soon.”<br />
<br />
The complaint draws a clear link between Pigeon and Michalek’s desire for a gubernatorial appointment to the appellate court.</blockquote>
<br />
Pigeon had bragged that he was Cuomo's go-to guy in Western New York <a href="http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2016/06/cuomo-ally-to-be-arrested-for-bribery.html">(this was the subject of a Buffalo News story back in 2013)</a>, so the Michalek appointment convo may not be the only time Cuomo shows up in this case.<br />
<br />
We'll see.<br />
<br />
No matter what happens with the Pigeon case, the Buffalo Billion case is still ongoing as well, with two former Cuomo aides and one current Cuomo associate facing what will almost certainly be criminal charges for corruption.<br />
<br />
It is going to be an interesting summer waiting to see how all of this shakes out.<br />
<br />
Today Cuomo went to the Catskills with Robert DeNiro.<br />
<br />
Here is a transcript of what transpired:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/J__Velasquez">@J__Velasquez</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/NYGovCuomo">@NYGovCuomo</a> A Goodfellas re-enactment for Steven Pigeon: Keep your mouth shut, don't rat on your friends.</div>
— rbe (@perdidostschool) <a href="https://twitter.com/perdidostschool/status/748330755798011904">June 30, 2016</a></blockquote>
<br />
<b>UPDATED - 1:55 PM:</b> Former assistant district attorney Mark Sacha insinuates Attorney General Schneiderman is engaging in a cover-up by going after low-lying fruit with the corruption indictment while ignoring the election fraud crimes Pigeon was engaged in that could take down a whole swath of politicians:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
Former Erie County DA Mark Sacha on Steve Pigeon <a href="https://t.co/J5B8HVU62V">https://t.co/J5B8HVU62V</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/YouTube">@YouTube</a></div>
— Buffalopundit (@buffalopundit) <a href="https://twitter.com/buffalopundit/status/748542411350097920">June 30, 2016</a></blockquote>
<br />
Would note also that Risa Sugarman, Cuomo's hack at the Board of Elections, <a href="https://twitter.com/JonCampbellGAN/status/748568177664196612">referred the Pigeon case initially.</a><br />
<br />
That itself is interesting, since it's doubtful that the independent in name only Sugarman, appointed by the governor, would initiate anything without Cuomo's OK.<br />
<br />
In any case, a sordid affair exposing Erie County corruption right to the very core - the justice system, the political system, the election system.<br />
<br />
More as we get it. <br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
reality-based educatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01712885202661371924noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628172601886929098.post-71062002467308949262016-06-29T20:26:00.001-04:002016-06-29T22:23:49.172-04:00Cuomo Ally To Be Arrested For Bribery<a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/n-y-supreme-court-judge-pleads-guilty-to-bribery-1467239239">Wheee!!!!!</a><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
A New York State Supreme Court judge pleaded guilty on Wednesday to
bribery in connection with the state attorney general’s investigation
into his <a class="icon none" href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/fundraising-efforts-of-upstate-politician-investigated-1433205622">relationship with a Buffalo-area political consultant</a> with ties to Gov. Andrew Cuomo.<br />
<br />
The
judge, John A. Michalek, who also pleaded guilty to offering a false
instrument for filing, said he would cooperate with the probe.<br />
<br />
...<br />
<br />
A spokesman for the state courts system said that as part of his plea
agreement, Mr. Michalek had resigned as a state Supreme Court judge.<br />
<br />
Mr. Michalek has been under investigation for months by Attorney
General Eric Schneiderman’s office in connection with his relationship
with Steven Pigeon, a former Erie County Democratic chairman who has
raised money and occasionally advised the governor on western New
York-related matters.<br />
<br />
According to the criminal complaint filed
Wednesday, Messrs. Michalek and Pigeon had “an understanding” in which
the judge “engaged in official conduct” that benefited Mr. Pigeon’s
interests, which included lawsuits before the judge. Mr. Michalek
received benefits from Mr. Pigeon, such as hockey tickets and assistance
seeking judicial appointments for himself and jobs for his relatives.<br />
<br />
Mr.
Pigeon is set to be arrested on Thursday and indicted later that day,
according to a person familiar with the matter. Mr. Pigeon’s attorney,
Paul Cambria Jr., didn’t respond to a request for comment. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“Today’s
proceedings expose a corrupt, multiyear scheme to use political favors
to buy off a sitting state judge,” Mr. Schneiderman, a Democrat, said in
a statement Wednesday.</blockquote>
<br />
Here are some previous Perdido Street School blog posts on Pigeon and Cuomo (<a href="http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2015/05/political-adviser-confidant-to-cuomo-is.html">here</a>, <a href="http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2015/05/is-criminal-investigation-into-cuomos.html">here,</a> <a href="http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2015/09/preet-bharara-expands-corruption-probe.html">here</a> and <a href="http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2016/05/another-cuomo-ally-is-target-of-grand.html">here</a>.)<br />
<br />
And of course, there's the wonderful Buffalo News story in 2013 in which Pigeon brags <a href="http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/albany-politics/pigeons-controversial-political-profile-rises-anew-in-local-role-for-cuomo-20131013">he's Governor Cuomo's go-to guy in Buffalo:</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
If Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo seems obsessed with all things Buffalo in the
months leading to his re-election campaign, those familiar with the
governor point to his rejection by the voters of nine western counties
in 2010. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Perhaps that’s why Cuomo is turning to G. Steven Pigeon,
one of his oldest – and most controversial – Western New York allies,
for fundraising, politics and even policy, according to several sources. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The
former Erie County Democratic chairman is taking on more assignments
from Cuomo and is telling political leaders here of a larger role,
according to at least half a dozen highly placed sources with knowledge
of the situation.<br />
<br />
And while Cuomo spokesman Richard Azzopardi would not discuss Pigeon
specifically when questioned by The Buffalo News, he did not deny the
suggestion that Pigeon plays a role for the governor. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“The governor has many friends in Buffalo, from the mayor to the county executive to Sam Hoyt to Steve Pigeon,” Azzoparadi said. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Pigeon’s
larger profile may also stem from other roles such as major campaign
donor and the $50,000 check he presented to Cuomo’s birthday fundraiser
at Manhattan’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel last December. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Other
Democrats say a senior official for the governor has told members of the
Cuomo administration, including Hoyt, to have regular contact with
Pigeon. They say that Pigeon has joined conference calls and meetings
and that his involvement transcends politics to include
economic-development matters. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
One major Democrat said local
officials “employed by the State of New York” are aware of Pigeon’s
enhanced position for the governor. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“He’s going to be his top
political person,” the Democrat said of Pigeon’s role for the governor
in Western New York. “Steve is telling people that."</blockquote>
<br />
Now that Pigeon, the governor's top political person in Buffalo, is set to be arrested on bribery charges tomorrow, the governor may be wondering just what that top operative has to trade with the authorities for a lighter sentence.<br />
<br />
Pigeon was in on Cuomo's economic development matters in Buffalo?<br />
<br />
Gee, there might be something there, especially since those matters are already under investigation by US Attorney Preet Bharara.<br />
<br />
This Pigeon arrest is just one strand of the investigations into the governor's world that Cuomo's got to worry about.<br />
<br />
There are also the various strands in the Buffalo Billion and state contract mess, with offshoots to former aides Todd Howe and Joe Percoco and Cuomo's man at SUNY Poly, Alain Kaloyeros.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2016/06/bharara-warns-cuomo-and-de-blasio-hes.html">Bharara has warned that he's scrutinizing malfeasance in executive branches around New York. </a><br />
<br />
Going to be an interesting, interesting summer.reality-based educatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01712885202661371924noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628172601886929098.post-39723668554905063052016-06-27T06:55:00.002-04:002016-06-27T06:55:49.691-04:00Legal Fees In Cuomo Investigations Mount<a href="http://www.politico.com/states/new-york/albany/story/2016/06/esd-triples-legal-fees-for-bharara-probe-103271">From Jimmy Vielkind at Politico NY:</a><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
ALBANY — The state’s economic development authority is tripling the
amount of money it’s spending to deal with a federal probe of the Cuomo
administration’s Buffalo Billion, documents show.<br />
<br />
Empire State Development voted on Thursday to amend its contract with <a href="https://www.wilmerhale.com/" target="_blank">WilmerHale,</a> which has been advising the authority since it received a federal subpoena for records last summer. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
The firm was <a href="http://www.politico.com/states/new-york/albany/story/2016/03/state-pays-dc-based-firm-to-handle-probe-of-cuomos-buffalo-initiative-032415" target="_blank">originally retained for $200,000</a>,
but the amount was increased by $400,000 in the final minute of
Thursday’s board meeting. The unanimous vote came after 40 minutes of
discussion in executive session. </div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
... </div>
</blockquote>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<blockquote>
The allocation by ESD is just one slice of taxpayer-covered legal
payments related to Bharara’s probe. SUNY Poly has retained Richard
Strassberg of Goodwin Procter, but a spokesman would not say how much he
is being paid.<br />
<br />
A spokesman for Gov. Andrew Cuomo last month confirmed that Elkan
Abramowitz is still representing the governor, as was the case with <a href="http://www.politico.com/states/new-york/albany/story/2016/01/bharara-ends-probe-of-cuomos-moreland-commission-shutdown-029847" target="_blank">an earlier Bharara probe.</a> It’s unclear if Abramowitz will be paid by taxpayers or from the Democratic governor’s campaign war chest.<br />
<br />
And there is an outside inquiry by Bart Schwartz that Cuomo commissioned after his executive chamber was <a href="http://www.politico.com/states/new-york/albany/story/2016/04/after-subpoena-cuomo-announces-review-of-buffalo-billion-101232" target="_blank">subpoenaed on April 29.</a> Schwartz and his firm, GuidePost, are examining what took place and are reviewing ongoing payments.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.timesunion.com/tuplus-local/article/Cuomo-gives-investigator-Moreland-Act-powers-8316633.php" target="_blank">His contract</a> has not been finalized.</blockquote>
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<a href="http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2016/06/bharara-warns-cuomo-and-de-blasio-hes.html">Bharara warned executive branches in the state yesterday:</a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
We have found that corruption is rife in a lot of institutions in
New York and throughout New York,” Bharara said during a national TV
interview.<br />
<br />
“That’s true in the legislature. It’s also the case that there’s
corruption, we believe, in the executive branches as well. And we’ll
ferret it out wherever we find it.”</div>
</blockquote>
<br />
Clearly a bow shot at Cuomo, as well as de Blasio - no wonder the legal fee expenditures from Cuomo and his minions are mounting.</div>
</div>
reality-based educatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01712885202661371924noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628172601886929098.post-80037019650447829272016-06-26T16:51:00.002-04:002016-06-26T17:11:38.533-04:00Bharara Warns Cuomo And De Blasio He's Coming For Them<a href="https://twitter.com/fud31/status/747163915289788416">Preet Bharara was on ABC this morning with a warning for both Andrew Cuomo and Bill de Blasio:</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Manhattan US Attorney Preet Bharara publicly put Mayor de Blasio and
Gov. Cuomo on notice Sunday that he’s actively searching for evidence of
corruption in their branches of government. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“We have found that corruption is rife in a lot of institutions in
New York and throughout New York,” Bharara said during a national TV
interview.<br />
<br />
“That’s true in the legislature. It’s also the case that there’s
corruption, we believe, in the executive branches as well. And we’ll
ferret it out wherever we find it.”<br />
<br />
<a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/sheriff-wall-street-people-system-rigged/story?id=39786476">Bharara’s stinging comments on ABC News’ “This Week with George Stephanopoulos”</a>
come amid probes by his office into fund-raising efforts by Mayor de
Blasio and suspected bid-rigging in state-funded development projects.<br />
<br />
They also followed an interview last month in which Bharara bristled
at the suggestion that Cuomo had been cleared of wrongdoing when Bharara
declined to charge him for unexpectedly shutting down the
anti-corruption Moreland Commission in 2014.<br />
<br />
“Nobody gave a clean bill of health to anybody. A non-indictment is
not an endorsement of anyone’s conduct,” Bharara told the New Yorker in
what the magazine described as “an uncharacteristically icy tone.” </blockquote>
<br />
Cuomo's administration is the subject of a massive federal investigation into his economic development projects all over the state.<br />
<br />
Cuomo's top former aide, Joe Percoco, is one focus of that investigation.<br />
<br />
A second is another former Cuomo aide and close associate, Todd Howe.<br />
<br />
A third is SUNY Poly head Alain Kaloyeros, Cuomo's man in charge of the economic development projects.<br />
<br />
As the Post piece notes, de Blasio is the subject of a few investigations too.<br />
<br />
The election is coming in November, so if anything is going to come of these investigations, it will come before then.<br />
<br />
It's not a mistake that Bharara was on ABC News this morning to talk about corruption in the executive branches in this state.<br />
<br />
That's a little head nod that something's coming soon.<br />
<br />
We know that one of de Blasio's fund raisers is cooperating with the feds, so my guess is, the de Blasio investigations will get movement first.<br />
<br />
But there's a lot going on with the Cuomo investigations too.<br />
<br />
There's no certainty that Cuomo's going to go down, but given the subpoenas that went out across the state as part of the investigation into his economic development programs, you can pretty much bet some of those associates of his are going down.<br />
<br />
And there's an outside chance that after some squeezing, some of those associates will have tales to trade to prosecutors for lighter sentences.<br />
<br />
One way or another, it's beginning to sound a lot like Preetmas.reality-based educatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01712885202661371924noreply@blogger.com2